Through a case study of early Mormonism, this article addresses the question of how embattled new religions survive and may even flourish in the face of fierce and sustained opposition to their "heretical" beliefs and practices. The data for this study are based on a thematic content analysis of a random sample of "patriarchal blessings" bestowed upon early converts to nineteenth-century Mormonism. We conclude that patriarchal blessings, pronounced in the prophetic language of the Mormon restoration movement, functioned as an important commitment mechanism for converts while simultaneously contributing to the exposition and reinforcement of distinctive Mormon teachings as a new religion on the American frontier. More systematic comparative study of prophetic religious traditions like Mormonism needs to be done in order to adequately document the range, variations, and modalities of those commitment practices that fortify new religious communities in response to opposition and adversity.
