R. W. Beers

R. W. Beers is known for The Mormon Puzzle; and How to Solve It, first published in 1887. Contemporary title pages identify him as Rev. R. W. Beers, A.M., pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Elkton, Maryland, which places him in Protestant church life at a time when Mormonism was a major subject of public debate in the United States.

His book is a strongly argued historical and religious critique of Mormonism, written for a general readership rather than a purely academic one. That makes his work a useful window into how some late-1800s Protestant ministers tried to explain fast-changing religious movements to their readers.

Beyond those details, reliable biographical information about him is hard to confirm from easily available sources. I could not verify a fuller life story or a confirmed portrait image, so this overview sticks to the facts that are clearly supported by the surviving book records.