Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

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The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the city's Temple Square.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the "LDS Church" or the "Mormon Church", is the largest and most well-known denomination within the Latter Day Saint movement. Founded in the United States by Joseph Smith Jr. in 1830, the Latter-day Saints regard Jesus Christ as the head of their church and count themselves as Christians, but do not consider themselves part of the Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant traditions.

The Church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is said to be the fourth largest religious body in the United States [1]. It is an example of a popular new religious movement whose membership continues to grow due to active missionary activity.

Origins

The Founder- Joseph Smith, Jr.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was officially founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. and five associates on 6 April, 1830, in Fayette, New York. Joseph Smith Jr. (1805-1844) was born in Sharon, Vermont (what is today South Royalton), the fifth child of Joseph Smith, Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith [1].

Profile of Joseph Smith, Jr. (circa 1843) by Bathsheba W. Smith, first wife of Apostle George A. Smith. Joseph Smith was the founder and first President of the church.

Although the young Joseph Smith was drawn somewhat towards the Methodism, he did not identify fully with any religious movement. In the spring of 1820, at fourteen years old, Smith claimed that he had a theophany, in which God the Father and Jesus Christ spoke to him and instructed him not to affiliate himself with any denomination.[2] This theophany is commonly referred to as the First Vision. Members of the church — known as Latter-day Saints — believe that Joseph Smith, Jr. was commanded to join none of the existing churches, and through other angelic visits was eventually called as the first prophet of the restored church.

In 1823, when Smith was seventeen, his family reported that he described being visited by a heavenly messenger named Moroni. According to Smith, Moroni reported that "there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He [Moroni] also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants;

"Also, that there were two stones in silver bows—and these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim—deposited with the plates..." in a nearby hill.[3] The angel, Smith said, had buried the artifacts in about 400 C.E., and had been charged with their protection. By carefully following the messenger's instructions, Smith claimed he would eventually be able to retrieve the gold plates.

Smith reported that he was not allowed to receive the plates until 1827. In the meantime, with his father and brothers, he was said to participate in a number of precious-ore mining operations for which later critics alleged him to be a treasure-seeker. While engaged in these mostly gold- and silver-pursuing activities in New York and Pennsylvania, he met and became engaged to his future wife, Emma Hale. Emma's father, a participant in one mining venture, disapproved of Smith. However, the couple eloped in early 1827.

After their marriage, the couple returned to Palmyra and moved in with Smith's parents. It had been four years since Smith's account of the first visit from the angel Moroni and his message concerning the gold plates. During these years, Smith described additional, periodic visits with the angel until finally, in September 1827, Smith indicated that Moroni allowed him to take the gold plates but strictly forbade him from initially showing them to any person without authorization.

Three of Smith's associates, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris (referred to as the "Three Witnesses" in the preface of the Book of Mormon) certified in writing that they, with Joseph Smith, had met with an angel (Moroni), and they had seen and handled the Golden Plates. Later eight others (the "Eight Witnesses") certified in writing that they had seen and handled the plates, though they did not meet the angel. It is significant that even though all of the Three Witnesses later became estranged with Joseph Smith and hostile to the church, none of them would recant their witness. David Whitmer actually had his witness engraved on his tombstone.

Soon after Smith indicated he had received the Golden Plates, his focus turned to producing what he described as a translation of the engravings on the plates. With the financial and moral support of a wealthy Palmyra landowner named Martin Harris, Smith set off with Emma to Harmony, Pennsylvania to live near Emma's family.

According to his wife's account, once in Harmony he began transcribing characters engraved on the plates and attempted to translate some of them by looking into the Urim and Thummim.

Harris came to Harmony in February 1828 to act as Smith's scribe (Roberts 1902, p. 19). By the middle of June 1828, Smith had dictated about 116 manuscript pages of text (Roberts 1902, p. 20), (Smith et al. 1835, sec. 36, v. 41)). Harris, however, who was having marital problems at the time, convinced Smith to allow him to take the manuscript pages home to Palmyra to show his skeptical wife. Smith's diary records that he repeatedly prayed to ask for permission from God to loan the manuscript to Harris, and after many rejections, was finally granted permission. At about the same time, Emma Hale Smith gave birth to the young couple's first child (Smith 1853, p. 118), but the boy was stillborn (Howe 1834, p. 269). By the time Smith was able to inquire about the manuscript pages, Harris informed Smith that they had been lost. Some assert that Harris's wife hid or destroyed the manuscript to test the veracity of Smith's claims [2] while others believe that the manuscript was obtained and altered by a group conspiring to disprove Smith.[4] The ultimate fate of the pages is not known.

Smith indicated that he was devastated by the loss of these first records. Smith returned to Harmony and began dictating to Emma what would become the third section in the Doctrine and Covenants. This section consists of a revelation in which Smith was rebuked for losing the manuscript pages, but was assured that all was not lost. If he repented of what he had done, God would "only cause thee to be afflicted for a season, and thou art still chosen, and wilt again be called to the work" (Phelps 1833, 2:7). As a penalty, the angel took away the plates and the Urim and Thummim, returning them later that year on September 22, 1828. He was then allowed to continue translating the plates but was commanded to find a new scribe and to continue where he left off, without retranslating the pages that were lost. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that those pages are scripture that has not yet been revealed to men. Critics of the Church regard this as a ruse to hide the fact that Smith authored the Book of Mormon, rather than translated it from ancient records (see Book of Mormon#Authorship).

On April 7, 1829, Smith was joined in Harmony by a new scribe, Oliver Cowdery (Cowdery 1834, p. 14), who acted as Smith's scribe for the majority of Smith's dictation. According to Cowdery and Smith, on May 15, 1829, John the Baptist appeared and ordained them to the Aaronic Priesthood. Upon receiving this priesthood they baptized each other immediately thereafter in accordance with their understanding of this priesthood authority. Cowdery and Smith also recount that Peter, James, and John came to them during either May or June 1829 and ordained them to the Melchizedek Priesthood. Joseph Smith taught that the authority found in these priesthoods was necessary for the work of the Lord in preparing a people to receive Him at the Second Coming and that this authority could only be received by the "laying on of hands" by someone who held that authority. Since this authority had been taken from the earth after the murder and persecution of the early apostles these same men returned as glorified, resurrected beings or angels and restored this priesthood authority to the earth.

When the dictation was complete, Smith published the work as the Book of Mormon, on March 26, 1830. In recent years, the subtitle Another Testament of Jesus Christ was added.

On April 6, 1830, Smith founded the first Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Latter Day Saint church. To avoid conflict and persecution encountered in New York and Pennsylvania, Smith and Emma moved to Kirtland, Ohio early in 1831. Many of Smith's followers and associates settled in Kirtland and in Jackson County, Missouri, where Smith said he was instructed by revelation to build Zion.

In Kirtland the church's first temple was built and many extraordinary events were reported by both Mormons and non-Mormons alike: appearances by Jesus, Moses, Elijah, Elias, and numerous angels; speaking and singing in tongues, often with translations; prophesying; and other spiritual experiences. Some Mormons believed erroneously that Jesus' Millennial reign had begun.

In early 1832, opposition took a violent turn. On Saturday, March 24, Joseph was dragged from his bedroom in the dead of night. His attackers strangled him until he blacked out, tore off his shirt and drawers, beat and scratched him, and jammed a vial of poison against his teeth until it broke. After tarring and feathering his body, they left him for dead. Joseph limped back to the Johnsons' house and cried out for a blanket. Through the night, his friends scraped off the tar until his flesh was raw.

Richard Bushman, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, p. 178.

According to recorded accounts of the event, the mob broke down the door in the home took Smith's oldest surviving adopted child from his arms (McKiernan 1971), dragged Smith from the room, leaving his exposed child on a trundle bed and forcing Emma and the others from the house, the mob threatening her with rape and murder (Johnson 1864). The child was knocked off the bed onto the floor in the doorway of the home as Smith was forcibly removed from his home (Hill 1977). The child died from exposure (some accounts say pneumonia) five days after the event (Newell 1984) from the condition that doctors said he developed the night of the mob violence. (Smith 1853). After having his wounds tended all night and into the early morning, Smith preached a sermon on forgiveness the following day.

Smith may have begun practicing a form of polygyny, later called Plural Marriage, perhaps as early as 1833. Polygamy (marriage to multiple partners) was illegal in many U.S. States, and was widely perceived as an immoral and misguided practice. Many of those that practiced polygamy pointed to the prophets in the Bible who also had multiple wives including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. However, Smith is on record as having spoken against polygamy and claiming his innocence of these charges. Smith continued to deny practicing polygamy until his death. [3] Critics cite this as a deliberate deception by Joseph Smith.

On January 12, 1838 Smith and Rigdon left Kirtland for Far West in Caldwell County, Missouri, in Smith's words, "to escape mob violence, which was about to burst upon us under the color of legal process to cover the hellish designs of our enemies." Just prior to their departure, many Latter Day Saints (including prominent leaders) became disaffected in the wake of the Kirtland Safety Society debacle, in which Smith and several of Smith's associates were accused of various illegal or unethical banking actions when the aforementioned bank, presided by Smith, collapsed during a nation-wide banking crisis. Later research has found that Smith was not responsible for the bank collapse.

Most of the remaining church members left Kirtland for Missouri.

Smith reported early revelations that identified western Missouri as Zion, the place for Mormons to gather in preparation for the second coming of Jesus Christ. Independence, Missouri, was identified as "the center place" (The Doctrine and Covenants, Covenant 57:3) and the spot for building a temple. Smith first visited Independence in the summer of 1831, and a site was dedicated for the construction of the temple. Soon afterward, Mormon converts—most of them from the New England area—began immigrating in large numbers to Independence and the surrounding area.

The Missouri period was marked by many instances of violent conflict and legal difficulties for Smith and his followers.

  • Latter Day Saints tended to vote in blocks, giving them a degree of political influence wherever they settled.
  • Latter Day Saints purchased vast amounts of land in which to establish settlements which threatened the previous residents of the community.
  • The military expedition led by Joseph Smith to re-take Jackson County by force of arms, otherwise known as Zion's Camp. Smith and his followers were warned by the Clay County Sheriff that they would be committing treason if they crossed over into Jackson County so armed. However, cholera overtook many of Smith's men, so Smith was forced to return back to Kirtland, Ohio.
  • The tension was further fueled by the Mormon belief that Jackson County, Missouri, and the surrounding lands were promised to the Church by God and that the Latter Day Saints would soon dominate the area.
  • The burning out of ex-Mormons from their homes in Daviess County, Missouri by Mormon vigilantes called Danites. Although he had publically condemned them, there is speculation that they were acting on the orders of Joseph Smith.
  • A June 17, 1838 Salt sermon given by Sidney Rigdon at Far West. Many of the statements in this sermon were viewed by some as a declaration of war against the residents of Missouri.

All of these things caused many local leaders and residents to see the Latter Day Saint community as a threat to their safety.

The Latter Day Saints had been migrating to Missouri ever since Smith had claimed the area to be Zion. They simultaneously occupyed the Kirtland area, as well as the Independence area for around seven years. After Smith had been forced out of Kirtland in 1838, he, and the rest of the remaining Latter Day Saints from Kirtland, came to Missouri.

Later that year, many of the "old Missourians" and the LDS settlers began and engaged in an ongoing conflict often referred to as the Mormon War. One key skirmish was the Battle of Crooked River, which involved Missouri state troops and a group of Latter Day Saints. There is some debate as to whether the Mormons knew their opponents were government officials.

This battle led to reports of a "Mormon insurrection". In consequence of these reports, including sworn affadavits by ex-Mormons that the Mormons were planning to burn both Liberty and Richmond, Missouri, Missouri Governor Lilburn Boggs issued an executive order known as the "Extermination Order" on 27 October 1838, stating that the Mormon community had "made war upon the people of this State" and that "the Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the State if necessary for the public peace" [5][6] The Extermination Order was not officially rescinded until 1976 by Governor Christopher S. Bond.

The legality of Boggs' "Extermination Order" was debated in the legislature, but its objectives were achieved. Most of the Mormon community in Missouri had either left or been forced out by the spring of 1839.

After leaving Missouri in 1839, Smith and his followers made headquarters in a town called Commerce, Illinois on the banks of the Mississippi River, which they renamed Nauvoo. Nauvoo means "to be beautiful"; - the word is found in the Hebrew of Book of Isaiah 52:7. Latter Day Saints often referred to Nauvoo as "the city beautiful", or "the city of Joseph", or a similar nickname. City of Joseph was actually the name of the city for a short time after the city charter was revoked. They were granted a charter by the state of Illinois, and Nauvoo was quickly built up by the faithful, including many new arrivals.

In October 1839, Smith and others left for Washington, D.C. to meet with Martin Van Buren, then the President of the United States. Smith and his delegation sought redress for the persecution and loss of property suffered by the Latter Day Saints in Missouri. Van Buren told Smith, "Your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you." Citation needed

Work on a temple in Nauvoo began in the autumn of 1840. The cornerstones were laid during a conference on April 6, 1841. Construction took five years and the edifice was dedicated on May 1, 1846; about four months after Nauvoo was abandoned by the majority of its citizens under threats of mob action. Nauvoo's population peaked in 1845 when it may have had as many as 12,000 inhabitants (and several nearly as large suburbs) — rivaling Chicago, Illinois, whose 1845 population was about 15,000, and its suburbs.

Due to increasing tensions, critics suggested that Nauvoo's charter should be revoked, and the Illinois legislature considered the notion. In response, Smith petitioned the U.S. Congress to make Nauvoo a territory. His petition was declined.

In February, 1844, Smith announced his candidacy for President of the United States, with Sidney Rigdon as his vice-presidential running mate.

Violent threats were made against Smith and the Mormon community. Charges were brought against Smith and he submitted to incarceration in Carthage, the county seat. Smith's brother, Hyrum, and several friends, including John Taylor and Willard Richards, accompanied him to the jail. The Governor of the state, Thomas Ford, had promised protection and a fair trial. He failed to keep either of these promises.

Shortly after 5:00 p.m. on 27 June 1844, a mob of about 200 men with blackened faces stormed the jail, and went upstairs to where Joseph and his associates were staying. They attempted to hold the doorway against the mob, using walking sticks to knock gun barrels down as they were thrust inside. Joseph had a small pepper-box pistol (which his associates brought into jail for him), with which he fired at the mob several times through the closed door. The mobbers returned fire (through the still-closed door). Hyrum Smith died immediately, shot in the face. John Taylor was shot five times but survived, one shot being stopped by his pocketwatch (the hands stopped at 5:16). Willard Richards was unharmed. Joseph ran to the open window, where he was shot simultaneously from within and without and uttered his last words were "Oh Lord, my God!" and fell out the window.[7]

Succession After Smith's death

Smith's death created a crisis for the Latter Day Saints. Smith left ambiguous or contradictory succession instructions that led to arguments and disagreements among the church's members and leadership, several of whom claimed rights to leadership.

Brigham Young recorded in his journal his initial concern after Smith's murder: "The first thing which I thought of was, whether Joseph had taken the keys of the kingdom with him from the earth." Without "the keys of the kingdom", that is, the appropriate Priesthood authority, Young recognized the possibility that, according to the church's doctrine and Smith's own teachings, the church lacked a divinely-sanctioned leader.

Because of ongoing tensions, the state legislature revoked Nauvoo's city charter and it was disincorporated. All protection, public services, self-government and other public benefits were revoked. Those who lived in the former City of Nauvoo referred to it as the City of Joseph—He being its founder—after this time, until the city was again granted a charter. Without official defenses, city residents continued to be persecuted by opponents, leading Young to consider other areas for settlement, including Texas, California, Iowa, and the Great Basin region.

An August 8 1844 conference which established Young's leadership is the source of an oft-repeated legend. Multiple journal and eyewitness accounts from those who followed Young state that when Young spoke regarding the claims of succession by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, he appeared to look or sound like the late Smith. Although many of these accounts were written years after the event, there were contemporary records. Historian D. Michael Quinn wrote:

There were contemporary references to Young's "transfiguration." The Times and Seasons reported that just before the sustaining vote at the afternoon session of the August meeting, "every Saint could see that Elijah's mantle had truly fallen upon the 'Twelve.'" Although the church newspaper did not refer to Young specifically for the "mantle" experience, on 15 November 1844 Henry and Catharine Brooke wrote from Nauvoo that Young "favours Br Joseph, both in person, manner of speaking more than any person ever you saw, looks like another." Five days later Arza Hinckley referred to "Brigham Young on [w]hom the mantle of the prophet Joseph has fallen."

D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, p. 166

[8]

Most Latter Day Saints followed Young, but some aligned with other various people claiming to be Smith's successor. One of these was Smith's own son, Joseph Smith III, who in 1860 led the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, now called the Community of Christ church. Many of these smaller groups were spread throughout the midwestern United States, especially in Independence, Missouri. Reverberations of the succession crisis continue to the present day.

Mob violence and conflict continued to grow and threaten the Mormon establishment at Nauvoo. By 1847, the city was deemed unsafe and Young led many Latter Day Saints out of the United States and into Utah, which was then Mexican territory.

Notes

  1. ↑ Smith,1853
  2. ↑ Pearl of Great Price, History, v. 17
  3. ↑ Pearl of Great Price, History, v. 34
  4. ↑ Covenant 10:8
  5. ↑ Extermination Order. LDS FAQ. Retrieved August 22, 2005.
  6. ↑ Boggs, Extermination Order
  7. ↑ Covenant 135:1
  8. ↑ Quinn, D. Michael (1994). The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power. Salt Lake City: Signature Books, p. 166. ISBN 1560850566. 

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  1. Anderson, Richard Lloyd (1969), "Circumstantial Confirmation Of the First Vision Through Reminiscences", BYU Studies, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 373–404.
  2. Berge, Dale L. (1985), "Archaeological Work at the Smith Log House", Ensign, vol. 15, no. 8, pp. 24.
  3. Bidamon, Emma Smith (March 27, 1876), letter to Emma S. Pilgrim, published in Vogel, Dan, ed. (1996), Early Mormon Documents, Vol. 1, Signature Books, ISBN 1-56085-072-8.
  4. Booth, Ezra (1831), "Mormonism—No. II (Letter to the Editor)", The Ohio Star, vol. 2, no. 42, pp. 1.
  5. Cobb, James T. (1881), "The Hill Cumorah, And The Book Of Mormon. The Smith Family, Cowdery, Harris, and Other Old Neighbors—What They Know", The Saints' Herald, vol. 28, no. 11, pp. 167.
  6. Compton, Todd (1997), In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith, Salt Lake City: Signature Books, ISBN 156085085X.
  7. Cowdery, Oliver (1834), "Letter [I]", Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 13–16.
  8. Cowdery, Oliver (1835), "Letter VIII", Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 195–202.
  9. Hill, Donna (1977 (also published by Salt Lake City: Signature Books in 1999.), Joseph Smith: The First Mormon, Garden City, NY, Doubleday, ISBN 156085118X (Signature Books).
  10. Hill, Marvin S. (1976), "Joseph Smith and the 1826 Trial: New Evidence and New Difficulties", BYU Studies, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 1–8.
  11. Howe, Eber Dudley (1834), Mormonism Unvailed, Painesville, Ohio: Telegraph Press.
  12. Jessee, Dean (1976), "Joseph Knight's Recollection of Early Mormon History", BYU Studies, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 35.
  13. Johnson, Luke (1864), "History of Luke Johnson, by Himself", The Latter Day Saints' Millenial Star, vol. 26, pp. 834.
  14. Lapham, [La]Fayette (1870), "Interview with the Father of Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet, Forty Years Ago. His Account of the Finding of the Sacred Plates", Historical Magazine [second series], vol. 7, pp. 305-309, republished in Vogel, Dan, ed. (1996), Early Mormon Documents, Vol. 1, Signature Books, ISBN 1-56085-072-8.
  15. Mack, Solomon (1811), A Narraitve [sic] of the Life of Solomon Mack, Windsor: Solomon Mack, (No ISBN assigned).
  16. McKiernan, F. Mark (1971), The Voice of One crying in the Wilderness: Sidney Rigdon, Religious Reformer, 1793-1876, Lawrense, KS, Corondao Press, ISBN not available.
  17. Newell, Linda King and Valeen Tippetts Avery (1984), Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith, Prophet's Wife, "Elect Lady," Polygamy's Foe, Garden City, NY, Doubleday, ISBN 0252023994.
  18. Norwich, Vermont (March 15, 1816), A Record of Strangers Who are Warned Out of Town, 1813–1818 (Norwich Clerk's Office), p. 53, published in Vogel, Dan, ed. (1996), Early Mormon Documents, Vol. 1, Signature Books, ISBN 1-56085-072-8, page 666.
  19. Phelps, W. W., ed. (1833), A Book of Commandments, for the Government of the Church of Christ, Zion: W. W. Phelps & Co..
  20. Porter, Larry C. (1969), "Reverend George Lane—Good "Gifts," Much "Grace," and Marked "Usefulness"", BYU Studies, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 321–340.
  21. Porter, Larry C. (1971), A Study of the Origins of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the States of New York and Pennsylvania, 1816–1831, Ph.D dissertation, BYU.
  22. Quinn, D. Michael (1998), Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, Signature Books, 2d ed., ISBN 1-56085-089-2.
  23. Roberts, B. H., ed. (1902), History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
  24. Smith, Joseph III (1879), "Last Testimony of Sister Emma", The Saints' Herald, vol. 26, no. 19, pp. 289.
  25. Smith, Joseph, Jr., translator (1830), The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon, Upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi, Palmyra, New York: E. B. Grandin.
  26. Smith, Joseph, Jr. (1832) History of the Life of Joseph Smith, in Joseph Smith Letterbook 1, pp. 1–6, Joseph Smith Collection, LDS Church Archives, Salt Lake City, published in Jessee, Dean C. (ed.) (2002), Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, ISBN 1573457876.
  27. Smith, Joseph, Jr. et al., eds. (1835), Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of the Latter Day Saints, Kirtland, Ohio: F. G. Williams & Co.
  28. Smith, Joseph, Jr. et al. (1838–1842) History of the Church Ms., vol. A–1, pp. 1–10, LDS Church Archives, Salt Lake City, published in Jessee, Dean C. (ed.) (2002), Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, ISBN 1573457876.
  29. Smith, Lucy Mack (1853), Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations, Liverpool: S.W. Richards.
  30. Smith, William (1883), William Smith on Mormonism: A True Account of the Origin of the Book of Mormon, Lamoni, Iowa: RLDS Church, (ISBN not assigned).
  31. Stevenson, Edward (1882), "One of the Three Witnesses: Incidents in the Life of Martin Harris", The Latter Day Saints' Millenial Star, vol. 44, pp. 78–79, 86–87.
  32. Tiffany, Joel (1859), "Mormonism, No. II", Tiffany's Monthly, vol. 5, pp. 163-170.
  33. Tucker, Pomeroy (1867), Origin, Rise and Progress of Mormonism, New York: D. Appleton.
  34. Turner, Orasmus (1851), History of the Pioneer Settlement of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase, and Morris' Reserve, Rochester, New York: William Alling.
  35. Vogel, Dan (1994), "The Locations of Joseph Smith's Early Treasure Quests", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 197-231.
  36. Whitmer, David (1887), An Address to All Believers in Christ By A Witness to the Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, David Whitmer, Richmond, Missouri.
  37. Wicks, Robert S., Fred R. Foister (2005), Junius And Joseph: Presidential Politics And The Assassination Of The First Mormon Prophet (Paperback), Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, ISBN 0874216087.

Footnote

1. InfoBase Media, Part 5 the Missouri Persecutions, Chapter 48, [4]


Members of the Church suffered persecution in several states, including a government-ordered extermination order from Lilburn W. Boggs, governor of Missouri, and Smith was eventually killed by a mob on June 27, 1844 in Carthage, Illinois, along with his brother Hyrum. Brigham Young, then President of the "Quorum of the Twelve Apostles," was elevated by the majority of the church as the next Prophet and President of the church. Faced with further persecution in Illinois, members of the church eventually followed Brigham Young to the Salt Lake Valley, and settled a large area now encompassed by the state of Utah and parts of Arizona, California, Nevada, Idaho, and Wyoming.

Name and Symbols of the Church

Initially, when the Church was organized in 1830 it was called the "Church of Christ". Overtime, it became referred to as the "Church of Latter Day Saints" to differentiate it from other Christian groups, and was generally known by that name between 1834 and 1838. In April 1838, the full name was changed to "the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints", according to direction recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 115:3-4.

Today, the Church is commonly referred to as the "LDS Church" in Utah and surrounding areas, while it is more often known as the "Mormon Church" throughout the rest of the world. Church members are often known simply as "Mormons", "the Saints", or "Latter-day Saints" with the latter two being the preferred terms by most Latter-day Saints themselves. Occasionally, these names may bring about confusion, as other groups outside the church are sometimes alluded to using these same terms. Of all of the Latter Day Saint groups, however, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" is the one most commonly meant when using these terms. The nickname "Mormon" arose soon after the publication of The Book of Mormon in 1830. Although originally used pejoratively to refer to the church or its members, the term came to be used within the church.

Latter-day Saints do not use the Christian cross or crucifix as a symbol of their faith. Most modern Latter-day Saints choose to focus upon Jesus' life, atonement, and resurrection, not his death. One of the central visual symbols of the Church is the trumpeting angel Moroni, proclaiming the restoration of the "true gospel" to the Earth (usually identified as the angel mentioned in Revelation 14:6–7); and a statue depicting the angel often tops the tallest spire of LDS temples. Another common symbol in the Church is the letters CTR, meaning "Choose the Right", taken from the name and motto of a children's Primary class.

Church Organization

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by a President, who is revered as a Prophet, seer, and revelator. The President is entitled to receive revelation from God to guide the church. Other authorities of the church include Apostles, Seventies, Stake Presidents and Bishops. Within the church there are two important apostolic bodies: the "Quorum of the Twelve Apostles" and the "Quorum of the Seventy." The "Quorum of the Twelve" is in place directly under the President, and the "Quorum of the Seventy" (referred to as "Seventies") ranks below the Twelve. The president of the church serves as such until death, after which the "Quorum of the Twelve Apostles" will meet, pray, and under the leadership of the senior apostle, receive revelation as to whom the next prophet should be. Although not specified by revelation, the senior apostle has historically become the new President of the church.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints address each other as "Brother" or "Sister" and then usually append the last name (such as Brother Smith, or Sister Young). Additionally, those that hold specific leadership positions may be addressed by their title and then their last name (such as President Kimball). Congregations for Sunday services are grouped geographically, with larger (200 to 400 people) congregations known as "wards", and smaller (less than 200 people) congregations known as "branches".

  • Bishop - Bishops of a ward are addressed by the title of "Bishop". There is also a position in the LDS church referred to as the Presiding Bishop. The Presiding Bishop oversees the welfare services of the Church.
  • Elder - While most adult male Church members hold the office of "elder", in general only full-time male missionaries (proselyting or service), members of any of the "Quorums of the Seventy" (General & Area Authorities), and members of the "Quorum of the Twelve Apostles" are addressed with this title.
  • President - In a Ward, the Elder's Quorum President is referred to as "President". Other presidents within the ward, such as the Teachers or Deacons Quorum President, may be referred to with this title. In addition to the above presidencies, in a branch, the branch president is referred to as "President", and his councilors are referred to as "Brother." . All members of a Stake (or District) Presidency, a Temple Presidency, a Mission Presidency, the Presidency of the Seventy, and the First Presidency are referred to as president.

Scriptures

The Standard Works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints printed in the Quadruple Combination format

Under the Church's doctrine of continuing revelation, the Church has an open scriptural canon which thus far includes the Hebrew Bible, Christian New Testament (King James Version), The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, The Doctrine and Covenants, The Pearl of Great Price, and The Articles of Faith. These scriptural writings comprise the Standard Works of the Church. The L.D.S.'s belief in additional scriptural canon makes the church unique among Christian groups. Though the canon is still open documents are not added frequently.

According to tradition, the Book of Mormon details the journey of nations from Jerusalem in 600 b.c.e.. called the Nephites and the Lamanites to the Americas, and another group called the Jaredites who existed there prior. It also details the ministry of the resurrected Jesus Christ to the Nephites.

The Doctrine and Covenants is a collection of revelations, policies, letters, and statements from Church presidents, starting with Joseph Smith. This record contains Church doctrine as well as direction on Church government.

The Pearl of Great Price contains: (1) excerpts from Joseph Smith’s translation of Genesis, called the book of Moses, and of Matthew 24, called "Joseph Smith—Matthew"; (2) Joseph Smith’s translation of some Egyptian papyrus that he acquired in 1835 (and subsequently lost, although some pages were purportedly rediscovered in 1967), called the "Book of Abraham"; (3) an excerpt from The Documentary History of the Church containing a letter written by Joseph Smith in 1838, called "Joseph Smith—History"; and (4) an excerpt of another of Joseph Smith's letters called the Articles of Faith, thirteen statements of belief and doctrine.

Major Beliefs

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shares many beliefs in common with other Christian groups, though it differs in theology from these traditions, especially in its ideas about God and the Trinity, Salvation and Heaven.

=== The Godhead ===

The First Vision - God and Jesus Christ appear to the young boy Joseph Smith Jr. in 1820

LDS theology understands that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three separate and distinct personages who together comprise the Godhead or The Holy Trinity (which is different from the doctrine of the Triune God in other Christian traditions, which maintains that the three are one being). All three members of the Godhead are eternal and equally divine, but play somewhat different roles. While the Holy Ghost is a spirit without a physical body, God and Christ do possess distinct, perfected, physical bodies of flesh and bone. Although Mormon theology sees the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost as separate beings, they are considered to be "one God" in purpose.

The Plan of Salvation

The term Plan of Salvation (a.k.a. the Plan of Happiness) is used to describe how the gospel of Jesus Christ is designed to bring about the immortality and eternal life of humankind. It includes the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement, along with all God-given laws, ordinances, and doctrines. Members believe that after this life is the Resurrection and Judgement.

The gift of immortality is also believed to be freely given to all because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and his subsequent Resurrection, although salvation from sin is conditional. Entrance to the highest Heavenly Kingdom, the "Celestial Kingdom", is only granted to those who accept Jesus through baptism into the Church by its priesthood authority, follow Church doctrine, and live righteous lives. Faith alone, or faith without works is not considered sufficient to attain exaltation.

Kingdoms

According to the Church, the Celestial Kingdom (whose glory is compared to the brightness of the sun in the sky, whose inhabitants have all truth and light) is where the righteous will live with God with their families. This kingdom includes multiple degrees of glory, the highest of which is exaltation. Those who have had the ordinances of eternal marriage, which is performed in Temples, and baptism may be exalted if they are found worthy by God. Accountable individuals must be baptized and repent to gain entrance to the Celestial Kingdom; Latter-day Saints profess that all children who die before the age of accountability (eight years old) automatically inherit a celestial glory.

Good people who do not follow Jesus or accept the Gospel (as understood by the Church) do not qualify for exaltation and will be consigned to the Terrestrial Kingdom (whose glory is compared to the brightness of the moon in the sky). This kingdom is one of great glory, but without the presence of God the Father. An ultimate willingness to keep the Ten Commandments is considered essential to enter this kingdom.

Murderers, other criminals, and the like who do not accept the Atonement of Jesus Christ will eventually spend eternity with people of like intent in the Telestial Kingdom, and their glory will be as that of the stars in the night sky. This is also considered a kingdom of glory and has been described as being much better than even earthly life. All those who do not qualify for a higher degree of glory will automatically enter this kingdom unless they deny the Holy Ghost, a sin it is believed very few people are able to commit.

Those few people who do, after gaining a full knowledge of the Gospel, willfully deny and contend against the Holy Ghost, are believed to inherit no glory. Most members of the Church refer to this place as Outer Darkness. An individual so banished is called a Son of Perdition. Forgiveness is not possible for these souls, though they will be resurrected and judged by Jesus Christ during the Second Coming.

The Christus Statue in the North Visitors' Center on Temple Square in Salt Lake City

Baptism

The Church of Jesus Christ practices baptism by immersion in water. Baptism is symbolic of burial and rebirth as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Like many Christians, Latter-day Saints believe that a person who repents and is baptized has all prior sins remitted.

Baptism is never performed before the eighth birthday. The age of eight was given in latter-day revelation as the age when children become accountable for their sins. If a person is unable to discern between right and wrong (ie. those with limited mental capacities) they are deemed unaccountable for their sins and do not require baptism, regardless of their age. The Book of Mormon and modern revelation specifically forbids the practice of infant baptism. (See Doctrine and Covenants 68:27 and Moroni 8:4-23.) Baptism is recognized only when performed by one holding the proper authority, contained in the office of a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood, or a higher office.

Latter-day Saints also practice Baptism for the dead, a practice that is unique to the Church. This practice is a baptism by proxy and is performed in a temple by worthy members. This practice is believed to only take effect if the deceased person has repented of their sins and accepted the ordinance.

Following baptism by immersion in water, individuals are confirmed members of the church and given the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by Priesthood bearers worthy to do so. Latter-day Saints believe that this blessing entitles the newly confirmed recipient to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost as a guide and guardian so long as the recipient lives worthy of the gift. Moreover, members believe that those who have not been confirmed may still receive inspiration and a witness from the Holy Ghost but are not entitled to constant companionship available through the gift of the Holy Ghost.

== Chapel and Temple Services ==

Latter-day Saint chapel in suburban Salt Lake City

Weekly worship services, including Sacrament Meetings, are held on Sundays, in meeting houses, also referred to as "chapels" or "stake centers". All people, regardless of belief or standing in the church are welcome to attend. The Sacrament, similar to Communion or the Eucharist in other churches, — consecrated bread and water (in place of wine) in remembrance of the body and blood of Christ —is offered weekly.

The primary Sunday service is sacrament meeting and attended by the combined congregation. The foremost purpose of sacrament meeting is the blessing and passing of the Sacrament to members of the Church. After the Sacrament, the service usually consists of two or three "talks" (lay sermons) prepared and delivered by members of the congregation. Once a month however, usually on the first Sunday, instead of prepared talks, members are invited to bear their testimonies about gospel principles. Hymns are sung throughout the service.

During the other two segments, the congregation divides into smaller groups based on age and/or gender. The church publishes manuals for each type of class, usually including a teacher's manual as well as a student booklet for youth and adult classes.

In addition to Sunday worship, members of the church may participate in ordinances in temples, including baptisms for the dead, endowments, and eternal marriage. Adult members who receive their endowments in the temple also receive the temple garment, which they wear under their daily clothing. The LDS church considers the temple ordinances exceptionally sacred. As such, they do not publicly release the details of the temple proceedings and expect that members also do not discuss them outside the temple. This is true of the significance of the temple garment as well.

Other Practices

Practices distinctive to Latter-day Saints include following the "Word of Wisdom" (caring for one's body by eating healthy foods; abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, tea and coffee, and illicit drugs; and eating meat sparingly), tithing (donating 10 percent of one's income to the church, which is voluntary), chastity, modesty in dress and behavior, lay leadership, Family Home Evenings (families are encouraged to meet weekly for prayer and other activities), and home and visiting teaching (members regularly visit one another in their homes for prayer and study).

Missionaries

The LDS Church has one of the most active missionary programs of any world church. Missionary work is a fundamental principle of the Church, and has become one of the most readily identifiable characteristics of "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." All missionaries have been assigned by Church headquarters to their area of work, which can be in any part of the world where governments allow them to preach. They support themselves financially for up to two years, and often learn a second language. The Church also places an emphasis on humanitarian services, and vast family history resources.

Polygamy

At one time in its early history, the Church did endorse a form of polygamy called "plural marriage," but this is no longer the case. The practice was officially withdrawn as stated in a declaration called "The Manifesto" which was given by President Wilford Woodruff in 1890 (see Official Declaration 1), which advised Church members to obey the marriage laws of their land. The Church's position was reiterated and clarified in 1904 (commonly referred to as "The Second Manifesto"), with an additional request that no Church members enter into any form of plural marriage, regardless of their location, local customs, or legality. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints found to be engaging in multiple marriage relationships are excommunicated. Converts from areas where polygamy is an accepted practice typically must end such relationships.

Notes


External links

References

  • Oxtoby, Willard G., editor. World Relgions: Western Traditions. Oxford University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-19-541520-5
  • Walker, Ronald W., et al. Mormon History. University of Illonois, 2001. ISBN 0-25202619-5
  • Johanson, W. F. Walker, What Is Mormonism All About? St. Martin's Press, 2002. ISBN 0-312-28962-6

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