Hi, Pat. I had an old genius professor a long time ago who often said that letters after one's name is rather like belonging to the book-of-the-month Club. The question is not how many books (or diplomas or degrees or certifications) one has, it is what that person has done with his/her books (or training). The NGS has come as close as one can to setting forth an explanation of some methods of testing information. In spite of their cogent rules and plan, I believe that most folks simply wallow along gathering evidence and rereading their own and the words of others until one morning they shout to themselves "EUREKA, in what world have I been?????!!!! G-GPaw's mom had to be Sadie Smith" Even with no knowledge of or rules of evidence or organization at hand, if such folks preserve their notes and references to sources and share those with others, our genealogical community will advance, no matter the form in which the information is preserved. Both NGS and LDS have furthered understanding and research far more than any other single group or author and years ago published the very arguments we often here have. KUDOS to them and their efforts. So keep your sources, tell others of your discoveries, write of those if you have the time and inclination, and NEVER decide that NGS, you or your favorite author, group or society have the only keys to it all; none of us do - NONE!!! In short, there ain't no Delphian Oracle !!!