The Church of Christ with the Elijah Message in Independence, Missouri.

The Church of Christ with the Elijah Message is a Restorationist church and is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement. Headquartered in Jackson County, Missouri, they also call themselves The Church of Christ. There are several branches within this small church, all with the same name and Articles of Faith and Practice, but different sets of apostles. They are divided mostly over how many of the messages they believe were actually given by the angel John the Baptist in "the Elijah Message." For example, one group claims 30 visits, and one claims 117, others 120. The churches publish monthly newsletters called The Voice of Warning, The Voice of Peace, The Voice of Joy, The Assured Way, and "The Greater Light." Image File history File links Church of Christ with the Elijah Message. ... Image File history File links Church of Christ with the Elijah Message. ... Restorationist is generic term describing any church or belief which originated during the Second Great Awakening early in the 19th century in the eastern United States and Canada. ... The Latter Day Saint movement is a religious movement which began in the early 19th century and is generally considered to be founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Jackson County is a county located in the state of Missouri. ...

Apostle Otto Fetting of the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) lived in Port Huron, Michigan, when he announced he was visited by John the Baptist appearing as an angel. The Church of Christ (Temple Lot) had a long history with revelations and angels, and warmly received news of the angel's visit. They prepared to build the temple. The angel is believed to have brought architectural descriptions and even to have specifically directed the surveyors marking out the Temple Lot (at one point, to have told them to move their markers 'ten feet to the east'). Several other members of the church reported receiving revelations confirming the temple's dimensions. Following his lead, while digging, two stones were unearthed which had been buried by Joseph Smith, Jr. a hundred years earlier. These stones were engraved with surveyor's markings, and indicated precisely where the temple is to exist. The stones can be seen to this day in the small museum inside the Church of Christ (Temple Lot), located at the corner of River and Walnut in Independence, Missouri. The headquarters building of the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) as seen from the original temple site designated by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Failure of John the Baptist. ... The Salt Lake Temple is the most well-known Mormon Temple. ... A view of the Temple Lot with the Community of Christs Auditorium in the background. ... Joseph Smith, Jr. ... (see sister state for authors message down) Independence is a city located in Missouri, in the Kansas City metropolitan area. ...

The church believes that the angel, John the Baptist, delivered messages from God with each visit; these were written down, and published in the church newsletter Zion's Advocate. Within the messages, the church was given seven years in which to build the temple. Following the twelfth reported visit of the angel, with the foundation digging nearly completed, the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) divided over the issue of re-baptism. Some members had joined the church without being baptised, relying on the strength of their baptism into other Restorationist churches. Fetting had been a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS) before joining the Church of Christ (Temple Lot), and thus was one of these converts himself. During the twelfth reported visit, the angel said that such members should be rebaptised. Several apostles and about half the church, a couple thousand members, followed Fetting, and a separate Church of Christ was established, for a long time meeting in homes. The appellation "with the Elijah Message" was added later by those believing in this message from the angel. Restorationist is generic term describing any church or belief which originated during the Second Great Awakening early in the 19th century in the eastern United States and Canada. ... Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Missouri, USA. Dedicated 1994 Community of Christ, a Christian denomination known for its dedication to the pursuit of peace, claims more than 250,000 members in 50 nations. ...

Also during the twelfth message, Fetting was understood to have been anointed with the same keys to the priesthood given to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on May 15, 1829, thus strengthening the endowment of priesthood authority. Latter Day Saints widely believe that the original endowment was delivered by the same angel, John the Baptist, in Harmony, Pennsylvania. For this reason, the church considers itself established "anew" in 1929. In Mormonism, priesthood is considered to be the power and authority to act in the name of God, including the performance of sacred rites and ordinances, and the performance of miracles. ... Photograph of Oliver Cowdery, taken c. ... May 15 is the 135th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (136th in leap years). ... Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1829 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Harmony is a borough located in Butler County, Pennsylvania. ...

Before his death in 1933, Fetting claimed to have received thirty messages from John the Baptist. The church emphasizes that these messages are not revelations, since they were delivered personally by John the Baptist, whose body could be seen and touched. The church clarifies that a revelation is written by a process where the author is unseen. Four other witnesses testified to his visits; their testimony was notarized and is published with the messages. The history with John the Baptist ends with the thirtieth message for one of the branches of the Church of Christ, which publishes the Voice of Warning. 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

However, four years later on October 4, 1937, a young elder in the church, W. A. Draves of Nucla, Colorado, reported that John the Baptist began appearing to him. He is believed to have received ninety messages in total, until 1994 when he died as an old man. These 120 messages in all were compiled as The Word of the Lord Brought to Mankind by an Angel, and published by the church. The church also accepts the Bible and the Record of the Nephites as scripture, and awaits yet another revealed work which the angel is believed to have briefly shown to W. A. Draves during a visit in 1946. October 4 is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... William August Draves (12 May 1912 — 28 June 1994) was a Mormon visionary. ... Nucla is a town located in Montrose County, Colorado. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal. // Events January Bill Clinton January 1 : North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) goes into effect. ... The Word of the Lord Brought to Mankind by an Angel is subtitled, A warning to all people on the second coming of Jesus Christ, revelations on the building of the temple, and instructions to the Church of Christ: The Lord has spoken and revealed his purpose by the mouth... The Gutenberg Bible owned by the United States Library of Congress The Bible (Hebrew: תנ״ך tanakh, Greek: η Βίβλος hÄ“ biblos) (sometimes The Holy Bible, The Book, Work of God, The Word, The Good Book or Scripture), from Greek (τα) βίβλια, (ta) biblia, (the) books, is the name used by Jews and Christians for their... Record of the Nephites was the manuscript name of the Book of Mormon. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ...

The Articles of Faith and Practice, common to all these churches, including the Temple Lot group, remains unchanged because the first words ascribed to the angel were: "Don't change the Articles of Faith and Practice, because the Lord inspired the men that wrote them."

The foundation work for the temple remained unfinished for many years, and the hole was eventually filled in. The dimensions of the temple are presently marked by six engraved stones embedded in a grassy field next to the Church of Christ (Temple Lot). All of these churches believe the temple will be built within this generation.

External references

1. A church web site: http://www.elijahmessage.com/
2. Another church web site: http://www.ccem1929.com/
3. Word of the Lord web site (120 messages): http://www.wordofthelordbroughttomankindbyanangel.us/
4. Another church website: http://www.johnthebaptist.info/