Elias—An Epic of the Ages: A Critical Edition

by Orson Ferguson Whitney edited by Reid L. Neilson Now available in print and ebook! "Anyone interested in Latter-day Saint literature will want this book on their shelves." — Richard Lyman Bushman "Whitney's Elias is one of the great understudied and unknown works of Latter-day Saint literature." — Matthew Bowman "Neilson has done a great service in curating this most important work for generations to come." — Eric A. Eliason    Available in ebook for Kindle, Apple, Google Play, and, Kobo. Preview the volume. Book Description: Orson F. Whitney’s Elias—An Epic of the Ages stands as Mormonism’s most ambitious literary achievement, a sweeping poetic retelling of the plan of salvation and the Restoration. First published in 1904 and refined in Whitney’s 1914 edition, the ten-canto epic draws upon scripture, history, and inspired imagination to place the life and mission of Jesus Christ at the center of a cosmic narrative that spans premortality, the Savior's mortal ministry, the apostasy, and the dispensation of the fulness of times. In the tradition of Milton’s Paradise Lost and Dante’s Divine Comedy, Whitney sought to give his faith a literary monument equal to its spiritual grandeur—an epic in which doctrine, history, and prophecy meet in verse. This new critical edition, edited by Reid L. Neilson, presents the definitive text of Whitney’s 1914 revision alongside rich historical context, literary analysis, and contemporary responses that situate Elias in the cultural and religious landscape of turn-of-the-century Mormonism. Both a devotional masterpiece and a literary artifact, Elias—An Epic of the Ages invites modern readers to encounter Whitney’s soaring vision anew. Praise for Elias—An Epic of the Ages: A Critical Edition "Orson Whitney was the preeminent Latter-day Saint man of letters at the turn of the twentieth century. Reid Nielson has brought this ambitious writer and poet back to life with a critical edition of Whitney’s vast poem Elias:  An Epic of the Ages. Whitney sought to pour everything he knew and experienced as a gospel believer into one grand work. Neilson annotates Elias and embeds it in the sources emanating from Whitney’s work: autobiographical reflections, contemporary reviews, Whitney’s own critical work, and assessments of Whitney’s overall achievement. Anyone interested in Latter-day Saint literature will want this book on their shelves." — Richard Lyman Bushman, author of Joseph Smith:  Rough Stone Rolling "Whitney's Elias is one of the great understudied and unknown works of Latter-day Saint literature. Reid Neilson's fine critical edition makes excellent sense of the text itself in footnotes, commentary, and emendation, but also surrounds it with a helpful array of primary sources. Here the poem springs to life embedded in its time and place. But it also speaks to later generations anew." — Matthew Bowman, Howard W Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies, Claremont Graduate University "No one has ever likely come closer to fulfilling Orson F. Whitney’s oft-cited hopeful prediction that the Latter-day Saint people may 'yet have Miltons and Shakespeares of our own' than the erudite apostle himself, who remains unequalled as a producer of—and enduringly influential voice shaping a collective vision for—Latter-day Saint literature.      "Elder Whitney figureheads both the school of thought, and the historical period, bearing the 'Home Literature' epithet he coined. His vision for what 'Mormon Letters' can and should be, has stretched in time and space-encompassing vastness commensurate with his own awe at the Divine love and gloriously cosmic wonders he saw in the Restoration worldview revealed to Joseph Smith.      "Nowhere is Orson F. Whitney’s vision more fully realized than in his own magisterial masterwork, Elias: An Epic of the Ages, expertly edited and historically contextualized in this volume, and presented along with contemporaneous and more recent critical assessments, by Reid L. Neilson, who has done a great service in curating this most important work for generations to come." — Eric A. Eliason, professor, English Department, Brigham Young University "On February 1, 1976, Elder Boyd K. Packer delivered. a compelling and inspiring address at a BYU twelve-stake fireside. 'The Arts and the Spirit of the Lord' sought to give an apostolic explanation for why few Latter-day Saints 'have captured the spirit of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the restoration of it in music, in art, in literature.' In the course of the talk, Elder Packer returned more than once to a discussion of the poetry of Elder Orson F. Whitney,  'a gifted and inspired poet whose work is virtually unknown in the Church.' The talk inspired in me a desire to explore the spiritual power of Elder Whitney's poetry. I found what Elder Packer was talking about.  We still, however, have had a gap to fill. Elder Whitney's greatest poem about the Savior has been hard to find.  Professor Reid Neilson has finally remedied that problem. His beautiful annotated critical edition of Whitney's Elias: An Epic of the Ages should become a sought after volume in the library of anyone anxious to be edified by the 'spirit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ' in literature.  Thank you, Reid and Kofford Books, for making this beautiful edition available.  Much edification awaits us!" — Neal W. Kramer, former president, Association for Mormon Letters "Orson F. Whitney . . . sought to craft an epic poem for Mormonism in the style of Milton’s Paradise Lost. The result was Elias, a sweeping narrative that blends theology, history, and mythic imagery to recount the Latter-day Saint story. . . . Whitney’s poem, though flawed by outdated assumptions, remains a remarkable attempt to enshrine Mormonism within the tradition of epic poetry. Neilson’s editorial work ensures that readers not only experience the poem itself but also understand its broader historical and cultural significance. The result is a volume that is both scholarly and accessible, offering lasting value to students of Mormon studies, literature, and theology." — Chad Nielsen, Times & Seasons About the Authors: Orson Ferguson Whitney (1855–1931) was a prominent leader, historian, and poet in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as an apostle from 1906 until his death. A gifted orator and writer, he is best known for his multi-volume work, the History of Utah, which remains a significant historical resource. Whitney also authored numerous poems and hymns. His work reflected a deep devotion to his faith and a passion for preserving the history of the Latter-day Saints. The author and award-winning editor of more than thirty books, Reid L. Neilson worked as the managing director of the Church History Department from 2010 to 2019 and was appointed Assistant Church Historian and Recorder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2015. He joined the faculty of Brigham Young University in 2022, where he currently oversees the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, the Religious Studies Center, and BYU Studies. He and his wife, Shelly, have five children and live in Bountiful, Utah. More Information: 339 pages ISBN: 978-1-58958-828-8 (paperback); 978-1-58958-822-6 (hardcover) Published September 23, 2025