Israel Alexander Smith (February 2, 1876 – June 14, 1958) was the third son of Joseph Smith III and a grandson of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Israel A. Smith succeeded his brother, Frederick M. Smith, as Prophet/President of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, now known as the "Community of Christ" in 1946. February 2 is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1876 is a leap year starting on Saturday. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (166th in leap years), with 200 days remaining. ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Joseph Smith III — Leader of the 1860 Reorganization of the Latter Day Saint church. ... Joseph Smith, Jr. ... The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the Mormonism movement or the Mormon movement) is a religious movement beginning in the early 19th century that led to the set of doctrines, practices, and cultures called Mormonism and to the existence of numerous churches whose members call themselves Latter Day Saints. ... Frederick Madison Smith (January 21, 1874 - March 20, 1946) was an American religious leader and author, president of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (renamed in 2001 the Community of Christ) from 1915 until his death. ... Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Missouri, USA. Dedicated 1994 The Community of Christ, previously known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or RLDS church is a branch of Mormon Restorationism, and is the second largest denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... 1946 was a common year starting on Tuesday. ...

Israel Alexander Smith was born in Plano, Illinois on February 2, 1876 — the third son and fourth child of Joseph Smith III and Bertha Madison Smith. He and his family moved to Lamoni, Iowa — site of a growing colony of Latter Day Saints of the Reorganization — in 1881. He attended Graceland College from 1898–1900 and later received a B.A. in law from Lincoln-Jefferson University. From 1911–1913 he was elected as a Republican representative to the Iowa state legislature. Plano is a city located in Kendall County, Illinois. ... Joseph Smith III — Leader of the 1860 Reorganization of the Latter Day Saint church. ... Lamoni is a city located in Decatur County, Iowa. ... Graceland University is a college of about 2000 students in Lamoni, Iowa. ...

Smith's brother, Frederick M., became Prophet/President in 1914. Smith became a counselor in the Presiding Bishopric in 1920. In 1922, many believed that Smith would be called to fill a vacancy in the First Presidency, but Frederick M. instead called Floyd M. McDowell. Frederick M. also introduced the doctrine of "Supreme Directional Control," which Israel A. opposed as contrary to the teachings of their father, Joseph Smith III. In 1925, Israel A. Smith was released from the Presiding Bishopric. The Presiding Bishop is an ecclesiastical position in some denominations of Christianity. ... In Mormonism, the First Presidency (or the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church) is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy of several Latter Day Saint denominations. ...

Meanwhile, Supreme Directional Control and other changes related to Frederick M.'s leadership precipitated a schism. Many members including Otto Fetting renounced the Reorganization and joined with the Church of Christ (Temple Lot). The Church of Christ (Temple Lot) is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement headquartered in Independence, Missouri. ...

From 1929–1940, Israel A. Smith served as the church's general secretary and in 1940, he was finally called to fill a vacancy as First Counselor in the First Presidency. Frederick M. also designated Israel as his successor at this time. In 1946, upon Frederick M.'s death, Israel became Prophet/President of the church.

The end of World War II, saw further expansion of the church overseas. In 1950, Smith went on a Pacific tour, visiting members of the church in Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand and Tahiti. In 1952, he toured branches of the church in Europe. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ...

Smith died in a car accident on June 14, 1958 while driving north along Highway 69 from Independence, Missouri to Lamoni, Iowa. After his death, the First Presidency continued to function, composed of the two counselors W. Wallace Smith and F. Henry Edwards until a General Conference of the church confirmed W. Wallace Smith as his brother's successor later that fall. Lamoni is a city located in Decatur County, Iowa. ... In Mormonism, the First Presidency (or the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church) is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy of several Latter Day Saint denominations. ... In Mormonism, General Conferences are church-wide meetings of individual Latter Day Saint denominations. ...

References

• Norma Derry Hiles, Gentle Monarch: The Presidency of Israel A. Smith, Herald House: 1991.
• Richard P. Howard, The Church Through the Years, Herald House: 1992.