[AML] Green, "The Tribe of Ephraim"

Title: The Tribe of Ephraim: Covenant and Bloodline
Author: Steven D. Green
Publisher: Horizon Publishers, Springville, Utah
Genre: Ephraim (Tribe of Israel); Lost Tribes of Israel, Bible -
Criticism, Interpretation; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -
Doctrines; Mormon Church -Doctrines
Year Published: 2007
Number of Pages: 248
Price: $16.99
Binding: Softback
ISBN 13: 978-0-88290-822-9

Reviewed by: Roy Schmidt

In 1998 our youngest son, Jacob, expressed a desire to receive his
patriarchal blessing. I contacted Elder Eldred G. Smith, the last person
to hold the office of Patriarch To The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-days Saints, and asked if he would be willing to bestow this
blessing. He agreed, and on the appointed day, we met in Patriarch
Smith's office in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City.
Elder Smith was kind and gracious, and spent time visiting with us. He
told us the white leather wing-back chair in which Jacob sat was used by
every Patriarch to the Church since the Church Administration Building
opened. As part of the blessing, Jacob was declared to me of the tribe
of Ephraim. After pronouncing the blessing, the Patriarch visited with
us some more and then took us to the outer office where he showed us a
large glass-enclosed bookcase packed full of ledger books. He said the
books contained a copy of each blessing he has given. He also stated
that he and his father had pronounced over 40,000 blessings and one
could count on both hands the number of recipients who were not of
either Ephraim or Manasseh. I found this to be amazing.

As it appears the vast majority of the members of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints are Ephraimites, and as I am too, I was
excited to receive this book. The author, Steven D. Green, holds a BS
and MEd from Utah State University. Prior to settling on a career in
real estate, he served a tour in the United States Army and taught in
the public school system. He is a dedicated member of the Church, and
has obviously spent many hours researching his topic.

The book is divided into four parts and a total of thirty-two chapters.
In addition there are three Appendix sections, and two charts.
Unfortunately, there is no index.The major sections are: Part One:
Ephraim - Israel's Birthright Tribe; Part Two: Scattered Israel and Its
Effect; Part Three: Ephraim's Role in the Promised Land; and Part Four:
Who is Ephraim?

I found Parts One and Four to be the most persuasive. Green does a great
job in establishing the House of Israel as God's chosen, and of Ephraim
as the covenant son and linage. He also explains concisely and clearly
the role of Ephraim in the Restoration.

Parts Two and Three are more problematic for me. Take, for example,
Chapter Twenty-Five: The Revolutionary War. Green begins with a famous
quotation from Thomas Paine's “American Crisis:” "... These are the
times that try men's soul's. . . ." After setting the stage, the author
wonders how the Americans had any hope of defeating England and gaining
independence. He answers by quoting 2 Nephi 10:11 stating in part this
land would be "a land of liberty unto the Gentiles." He recognizes the
fact that Americans did not have access to The Book of Mormon and the
prophecies regarding the foundation of the nation, and feels that even
if the book was available, the colonists would have been at a loss as to
how the prophecies would ever be fulfilled. Even so, the Lord knew and
brought about the events the culminated in the victory at Yorktown.

So far, I agree with the author, but then things turn dicey for me. He
states unequivocally that "The blood of Ephraim and Manasseh was
answering the call to freedom. . .much like Moroni's defenders, flocked
to the standard of liberty. . ." I can see the parallel, but find no
evidence of the colonial defenders being of either Ephraim or Manasseh.
Later in the chapter it is stated, "The blood of Ephraim was in the mix
of red streaks left in the snow and mud that cold January night in New
Jersey.”, and "Many [patriots] carried that believing blood of Ephraim.
. . ." These statements are made without reservation, and without a
scintilla of evidence to back them up. In fairness, Green also talks
about revolutionary hero Thomas Knowlton, some of whose descendants are
members of the church today, and presumably of Ephraim. As I read him,
he implies that Washington, Franklin and others are Ephraimites, but
without documentation. I realize many of the revolutionary leaders have
had temple ordinances performed on their behalf, and that many have
accepted those ordinances, but to the best of my knowledge patriarchal
blessings have not been pronounced for any of them. I suppose one could
infer from my experience with Eldred Smith that these pre-restoration
persons are either of Ephraim or Manasseh, but that has to be pure
speculation.

The chapter on British Rights relies on British Israel more than I am
comfortable with. The discussion of The Renaissance is interesting, but
there is no obvious connection with the events described and Ephraim.
Other chapters have similar problems.

Although I find many of the author's conclusions speculative, requiring
leaps of faith that I am not ready to make, I did enjoy the book and
recommend it. Buy it, read it, and then come to you own conclusions.