The Messenger and Advocate was published in Kirtland from
1834-37. Designed as "a paper disseminating the doctrines
believed by [the church], and advocating its character and rights," it was the key periodical for the latter half of the Ohio period. Perhaps the most important element of the Messenger was a series of letters written by Oliver Cowdery that constitute the first printed attempt to narrate the origins of Mormonism. In the relative absence of other contemporary records, it also
serves as a key source for details on early Mormons.
From the foreword by Peter Crawley: "Most students of Mormonism do not need to work from an original copy of the Messenger and Advocate; they need a good facsimile. For many years, high quality facsimiles have existed for The Evening and the Morning Star and the Nauvoo periodical, the Times and Seasons, but until now, no facsimile of comparable quality has existed of the Messenger and Advocate. We are fortunate that this issue fills that gap."