The succession crisis in the Latter Day Saint movement occurred after the violent death of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr., on June 27, 1844. The Latter Day Saint movement (a subset of Restorationism) is a group of religious denominations and adherents who follow at least some of the teachings and revelations of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Main article: Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Joseph Smith, Jr. ... is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Jan. ...

For roughly six months after Smith's death, several people competed to take over his role. The leading contenders were Sidney Rigdon, Brigham Young, and James Strang, and see the chart below for a more complete list of successor claimants. The largest portion of Latter Day Saints elected to follow Young's leadership , but several smaller sects emerged from the succession crisis. This significant event in the History of the Latter Day Saint movement precipitated several permanent schisms. Sidney Rigdon Sidney Rigdon (19 February 1793–14 July 1876) was an important figure in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... See also, Brigham Young University Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 – August 29, 1877) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... 1856 daguerreotype of James Strang, taken on Beaver Island, Lake Michigan, by J. Atkyn, one of his assassins. ... A sect is generally a small religious or political group that has branched off from a larger established group. ... The Latter Day Saint movement is a religious movement within Christian Restorationism beginning in the early 19th century that led to the set of doctrines, practices, and cultures called Mormonism and to the existence of numerous Latter Day Saint churches. ... The word schism (IPA: or ), from the Greek σχίσμα, skhísma (from σχίζω, skhízō, to tear, to split), means a division or a split, usually in an organization or a movement. ...

Successors and resulting denominations

^† Years during which claimed successor led named denomination

^‡ Became Lineal successor after death of William Smith in 1894

The Latter Day Saint movement (a subset of Restorationism) is a group of religious denominations and adherents who follow at least some of the teachings and revelations of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Sidney Rigdon Sidney Rigdon (19 February 1793–14 July 1876) was an important figure in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... 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. ... The Church of Jesus Christs historic chapel in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. ... See also, Brigham Young University Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 – August 29, 1877) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... President Thomas S. Monson Acting President Boyd K. Packer President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... The current Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the LDS Church. ... The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. ... The FLDS Temple near Eldorado, Texas The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) is a group of Mormon fundamentalists. ... 1856 daguerreotype of James Strang, taken on Beaver Island, Lake Michigan, by J. Atkyn, one of his assassins. ... Elder is a priesthood office in the Melchizedek Priesthood of denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... In Mormonism, the letter of appointment is a controversial two-page document used by the supporters of James Strang to prove that he was the designated successor to Joseph Smith, Jr. ... The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, also known as the Strangite church, is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... Granville Hedrick apostate of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints ... The headquarters building of the Church of Christ as seen from the original temple site designated by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... The Church of Christ with the Elijah Message in Independence, Missouri. ... Alpheus Cutler (1784–1864), an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement, and reorganizer of the Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite). ... In Mormonism, the Presiding High Council (also called the High Council in Zion or the High Council of Zion is a standing high council which presides over other standing high councils in each stake of Zion. ... The Council of Fifty (also known as the Living Constitution, the Kingdom of God, or its name by revelation, The Kingdom of God and His Laws with the Keys and Power thereof, and Judgment in the Hands of His Servants, Ahman Christ[1]) was a Latter Day Saint organization established... Cutlerite Church The Church of Jesus Christ, better known as the Cutlerites, is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement (Mormonism) headquartered in Independence, Missouri. ... Joseph Smith III — Leader of the 1860 Reorganization of the Latter Day Saint church. ... Lineal Succession is a doctrine in the Community of Christ, a faction of Mormonism, whereby certain church offices are held by right of inheritance. ... It has been suggested that Community of Christ membership statistics be merged into this article or section. ...

Background

Joseph Smith Jr. organized the Church of Christ on April 6, 1830. Between that time and his death in 1844, both the church and Smith's role within it expanded. Even prior to the formal establishment of the church, Smith held the title of "Prophet, Seer, and Revelator," a title unanimously supported by the other founding members of the church. The Church of Christ was the original name given to the church formally organized by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... is the 96th day of the year (97th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix commemorates the July Revolution 1830 (MDCCCXXX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Prophet, seer, and revelator is an ecclesiastical title used in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that is applied to the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. ...

Because the church was "organized" rather than legally "incorporated," its property needed to be held in trust by a trustee; ^{[citation needed]} Smith became the church's Trustee-in-Trust. For other uses, see Corporation (disambiguation). ...

Initially, the highest leadership position in the church was that of "elder," and church elders were sometimes called "apostles."^{[citation needed]} Smith's initial title in the church was "First Elder," while his friend and associate, Oliver Cowdery, was given the title "Second Elder." In March of 1832, Smith created a quorum of three presidents known as the First Presidency. Smith became President of the First Presidency, a title which became associated with the office of "President of the Church"; Sidney Rigdon and Jesse Gause became Smith's counselors in the First Presidency. In Mormonism, an Elder is a priesthood and leadership position in many denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... This is the current Mormon collaboration of the month! Please help improve it to meet the ideal article standard. ... Photograph of Oliver Cowdery found in the Library of Congress, taken in the 1840s Oliver Hervy Pliny Cowdery[1] (3 October 1806 – 3 March 1850) was the primary participant with Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Year 1832 (MDCCCXXXII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... 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 the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church. ... Sidney Rigdon Sidney Rigdon (19 February 1793–14 July 1876) was an important figure in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... Jesse Gause (1785—c. ...

On December 18, 1833, Smith created the office of "Patriarch over the Church" and ordained his father, Joseph, Sr., to fill the role. The "Presiding Patriarch," as the office came to be called, often presided over church meetings and was sometimes sustained at church conferences ahead of all other church officers. ^{[citation needed]} is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1833 (MDCCCXXXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Presiding Patriarch is a leadership office in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... Joseph Smith, Sr. ...

On February 17, 1834, Smith created a High Council in Kirtland, Ohio. This body consisted of twelve men, headed by the First Presidency. The Kirtland High Council took on the role of chief judicial and legislative body of the local church and handled such things as excommunication trials and approval of all church spending. is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1834 (MDCCCXXXIV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... In Mormonism, a high council is one of several different governing bodies that have existed in the church hierarchy on many Latter Day Saint denominations. ... Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census. ... 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. ...

Several months later on July 3, 1834, the High Council of Zion was organized in Far West, Jackson County, Missouri [1]. This High Council in Zion is also known as the Presiding High Council, for it was designated to preside over the council established in Kirtland, as well as all future High Councils at the various Stakes of Zion (LDS D&C 107:37 [2]). Cases tried in the standing High Councils of outlying stakes were regularly appealed to the High Council of Zion, it being the penultimate court standing only second to the First Presidency. The Presiding High Council also provided clearance for ordinations in the standing High Councils at the Stakes of Zion. is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1834 (MDCCCXXXIV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The original plat of the City of Zion (Independence, Missouri). ... Far West, Missouri, was a Latter Day Saint (Mormon) settlement in Caldwell County, Missouri. ... Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. ... In Mormonism, the Presiding High Council (also called the High Council in Zion or the High Council of Zion is a standing high council which presides over other standing high councils in each stake of Zion. ... D&C may stand for: Doctrine and Covenants, part of the scripture of Mormonism Dilation and curettage, a medical procedure Divide & Conquer, a multiplayer turn-based strategy with web-interface This is a disambiguation page, a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ...

On February 14, 1835, nearly one year after the Kirtland High Council was organized, Joseph Smith created an additional "Traveling Presiding High Council" (LDS D&C 107:33 [3]; RLDS Church History 1.18, pg. 503 [4]). This council consisted of twelve men, ordained to the office of Apostle, and appointed to oversee the missionary work of the church--meaning that their presiding role was outside of the Stakes of Zion. Thomas B. Marsh was set apart as their president. In practice, while both this group and the High Council in Zion were Presiding High Councils, their jurisdictions were divided with one as “standing” ministers over the Stakes of Zion, and the other “traveling” outside of the Stakes. Initially, the Traveling High Council was subordinate to the High Council of Zion; for example, in 1838, when vacancies arose in the Traveling Presiding High Council, it was the Standing Presiding High Council at Far West that filled the vacancies. is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... | Come and take it, slogan of the Texas Revolution 1835 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... D&C may stand for: Doctrine and Covenants, part of the scripture of Mormonism Dilation and curettage, a medical procedure Divide & Conquer, a multiplayer turn-based strategy with web-interface This is a disambiguation page, a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ... This is the current Mormon collaboration of the month! Please help improve it to meet the ideal article standard. ... Thomas B. Marsh(1799-1866) was the first ordained apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835-1839. ...

Later, as the Traveling High Council evolved and began to be known as the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, it acquired equal status with the Presiding High Council in Zion; both, however, were always subordinate to the First Presidency which presided over the entire church without a divided jurisdiction like the Presiding High Councils. When the High Council in Zion was dissolved after the Church was expelled from Missouri, the headquarters of the church were moved to Nauvoo, Illinois. There, Joseph Smith formed a new Presiding High Council, led by William Marks, which supervised the High Councils of outlying stakes, under the direction of the First Presidency. The current Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the LDS Church. ... There is also a Nauvoo, Alabama, and a Nauvoo, Pennsylvania Nauvoo (נָאווּ to be beautiful, Sephardi Hebrew Nåvu, Tiberian Hebrew Nâwû) is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

In 1844, Smith also created the Council of Fifty to be the "living constitution" of the "Kingdom," which, in turn, sustained Smith as "Prophet, Priest and King." This council consisted mostly of prominent Latter-day Saint associates of Joseph Smith, but contained a few prominent non-Mormons from the Nauvoo area (citation needed). Jan. ... The Council of Fifty (also known as the Living Constitution, the Kingdom of God, or its name by revelation, The Kingdom of God and His Laws with the Keys and Power thereof, and Judgment in the Hands of His Servants, Ahman Christ[1]) was a Latter Day Saint organization established...

Smith also created the Anointed Quorum, an inner group of strong and trusted Church members (both male and female) who had received the temple endowment. Others who had been given important priesthood authority in the church were the Quorum of Three Witnesses, the Associate President of the Church, Hyrum Smith, and earlier, the Presidency of the Church in Zion, which included David Whitmer and William Wines Phelps (citation needed). The Anointed Quorum, also known as the Quorum of the Anointed, or the Holy Order, was an elite body of men and women with special standing in early Mormonism. ... In Mormonism, the Endowment is a heavenly gift of priesthood power, connected with the construction and use of the Mormon temple. ... A monument to the Three Witnesses at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. ... Assistant President of the Church (also referred to as Associate President of the Church) was a position in the leadership hierarchy in the early days of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Hyrum Smith Hyrum Smith (February 9, 1800—June 27, 1844) was the older brother of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... David Whitmer (January 7, 1805–January 25, 1888) was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormons Golden Plates. ... William Wines Phelps (also W.W. Phelps, and William W. Phelps) (February 17, 1792–March 7, 1872) was an important early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement. ...

The 1844 succession

At the time of his murder, Smith thus held the roles: "Prophet, Seer, Revelator, and Translator," "President of the Church," "President of the First Presidency," and "Trustee-in-Trust" of the Church. It was unclear if all of these offices should be held together by any one successor and it was equally unclear who such a successor should be.

Theoretical successors

Following Smith's murder, it was not immediately clear to Latter Day Saints who would lead the church. A Latter Day Saint (LDS) is a person who identifies with the Latter Day Saint movement and is a follower of Mormonism. ...

Contemporary statements of Church leaders indicate that had Smith's brother Hyrum survived, he would have been the successor. Hyrum had been ordained Assistant President of the Church and Presiding Patriarch of the church, and the successor of Oliver Cowdery, who had been excommunicated (See Times and Seasons, 2 (1 June 1841): 128; cf. Doctrine and Covenants 124:94-95). Hyrum, however, was killed in Carthage, Illinois with Joseph Smith. Regarding Hyrum, Brigham Young stated: Hyrum Smith Hyrum Smith (February 9, 1800—June 27, 1844) was the older brother of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Assistant President of the Church (also referred to as Associate President of the Church) was a position in the leadership hierarchy in the early days of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Presiding Patriarch (also called Presiding Evangelist, Patriarch over the Church, Patriarch of the Church, or Patriarch to the Church) is a church-wide leadership office within the priesthood. ... Photograph of Oliver Cowdery found in the Library of Congress, taken in the 1840s Oliver Hervy Pliny Cowdery[1] (3 October 1806 – 3 March 1850) was the primary participant with Joseph Smith, Jr. ... The Times and Seasons was a nineteenth-century Latter Day Saint periodical published monthly or twice-monthly at Nauvoo, Illinois, from November 1839 to February 15, 1846. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: The Doctrine and Covenants The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... Carthage is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. ... See also, Brigham Young University Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 – August 29, 1877) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ...

"Did Joseph Smith ordain any man to take his place. He did. Who was it? It was Hyrum, but Hyrum fell a martyr before Joseph did. If Hyrum had lived he would have acted for Joseph" (Times and Seasons, 5 [Oct. 15, 1844]: 683).

Following the principle of lineal succession, Smith's younger brother Samuel was the next potential candidate in line. Sometime between June 23-27, 1844, Smith reportedly stated that "if he and Hyrum were taken away, Samuel H. Smith would be his successor" (Smith, An Intimate Chronicle, p. 138; William Clayton Diary, typescript, 12 Jul. 1844, original in First Presidency's Archives). However, Samuel died suddenly on July 30, 1844, just days after Joseph and Hyrum were killed. The last of the surviving Smith brothers, William, initially claimed the right to succeed his brothers only as Presiding Patriarch. Much later, after breaking with several Latter Day Saint factions, he exercised his own claim to the presidency of the church, with little result. William alleged that his brother Samuel was poisoned at the behest of Brigham Young, by Hosea Stout, who was acting as Samuel's nurse and who allegedly administered to Samuel a "white powder." Young, however, denied any personal involvement, and there is no solid evidence that Samuel was the victim of foul play.^{[citation needed]} The Times and Seasons was a nineteenth-century Latter Day Saint periodical published monthly or twice-monthly at Nauvoo, Illinois, from November 1839 to February 15, 1846. ... Lineal Succession is a doctrine in the Community of Christ, a faction of Mormonism, whereby certain church offices are held by right of inheritance. ... Samuel Harrison Smith (1808–1844) was one of the younger brothers of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... is the 211th day of the year (212th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... William Smith (also found as William B. Smith) (1811–1893) born in Royalton, Vermont, was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. ... The Presiding Patriarch is a leadership office in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... The term Latter Day Saint most commonly refers to (but is not limited to) members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which, its members believe, was founded under the direction of Jesus Christ by the prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Samuel Harrison Smith (1808–1844) was one of the younger brothers of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... See also, Brigham Young University Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 – August 29, 1877) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... Photograph of Hosea Stout, taken in the 1850s. ...

Joseph Smith Jr. also seems to have given indications that one of his sons would succeed him. ^{[citation needed]} Several church leaders later claimed that on August 27, 1834, and April 22, 1839, Joseph Smith indicated his eldest son, Joseph Smith III, would be his successor (See Roger Launius, Joseph Smith III: Pragmatic Prophet). At the time of Smith's death, however, Joseph Smith III was eleven years old — far too young to lead the church. Similarly, in April 1844, Joseph Smith had reportedly prophesied his unborn child would be a son who was to be named "David" and would eventually become "president and king of Israel" (See Valery Tippetts Avery, From Mission to Madness: The Last Son of the Mormon Prophet). In the 1980s, Mark Hofmann, forged a copy of a Patriarchal Blessing given to Joseph Smith III, naming the young Joseph as Smith's successor. Although this document was a forgery, it was based on contemporary reports of such a blessing. is the 239th day of the year (240th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1834 (MDCCCXXXIV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1839 (MDCCCXXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Joseph Smith III — Leader of the 1860 Reorganization of the Latter Day Saint church. ... Mark William Hofmann (born 7 December 1954), a disaffected member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was a prolific counterfeiter who murdered two people in Salt Lake City, Utah. ... In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and other Mormon denominations, a patriarchal blessing (also called an evangelists blessing) is a special blessing or ordinance given by a patriarch (evangelist) to a church member. ... Joseph Smith III — Leader of the 1860 Reorganization of the Latter Day Saint church. ...

Some members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints speculate that had Joseph's wife, Emma, followed Brigham Young and the other saints to Utah, Joseph III could very well have fulfilled his father's alleged prophecy that he would lead the church someday. ^{[citation needed]}Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer, had they not been previously excommunicated, might also have had credible claims to be Smith's successor. Oliver Cowdery had been the "Second Elder" of the church after Joseph Smith, and until the time of his excommunication held the keys of the dispensation with Joseph. In addition, he was with Smith at all the important events of the early church. Like Hyrum later, Joseph Smith had ordained Cowdery as the Assistant President of the Church, and had given him authority "to assist in presiding over the whole Church and to officiate in the absence of the President" (Manuscript History of the Church, Book A-1, p. 11, Church Archives). However, Cowdery was excommunicated on April 12, 1838 (Cannon and Cook, Far West Record, pp. 162-171). The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. ... Emma Hale Smith Emma Hale Smith (10 July 1804 - 30 April 1879) was the wife of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Photograph of Oliver Cowdery found in the Library of Congress, taken in the 1840s Oliver Hervy Pliny Cowdery[1] (3 October 1806 – 3 March 1850) was the primary participant with Joseph Smith, Jr. ... David Whitmer (January 7, 1805–January 25, 1888) was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormons Golden Plates. ... 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. ... Assistant President of the Church (also referred to as Associate President of the Church) was a position in the leadership hierarchy in the early days of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Whitmer had been ordained President of the High Council in Zion (Jackson County, Missouri), and Joseph had blessed him on July 7, 1834, "to be a leader or a prophet to this Church, which (ordination) was on condition that he (J. Smith, Jr) did not live to God himself" (Cannon and Cook, Far West Record, p. 151). Upon forming the High Council in Jackson County, Smith stated "if he should be taken away that he had accomplished the great work which the Lord had laid before him, and that which he had desired of the Lord, and that he now had done his duty in organizing the High Council, through which Council the will of the Lord might be known" (Cannon and Cook, Far West Record, pp. 71-72). Whitmer, however, was excommunicated on April 13, 1838 (Id., pp. 176-178). In Mormonism, a high council is one of several different governing bodies that have existed in the church hierarchy on many Latter Day Saint denominations. ... is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 103rd day of the year (104th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Immediate successors

Joseph Smith's death left a number of important church leaders, councils, and quorums, many of which had overlapping and/or evolving functions, without guidance. The claims of each of these quorums came into play at some point after the death of Joseph Smith.

The highest executive council of the church was the First Presidency. The death of both Joseph and Hyrum Smith left Sidney Rigdon as the senior surviving member of the First Presidency. (Amasa M. Lyman and John Smith were also members of the First Presidency, but, unlike Rigdon, neither held ambitions to succeed Joseph Smith.) As early as April 19, 1834, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery had "laid hands upon bro. Sidney [Rigdon] and confirmed upon him the blessings of wisdom and knowledge to preside over the Church in the absence of brother Joseph" (Joseph Smith Diary, 19 Apr. 1834, Church Archives; Jessee, Papers of Joseph Smith, vol. 2, pp. 31-32). In the spring of 1844, Joseph Smith had begun running a third-party candidacy to be elected President of the United States. Sidney Rigdon was nominated as Smith's Vice Presidential running mate and had moved to Pennsylvania to establish legal residency there (the United States Constitution dictates that the President and Vice President must come from separate states). Upon receiving word of Smith's death, Rigdon claimed to receive a revelation calling him to succeed Smith as "guardian" of the church and he hurriedly returned to Nauvoo to exercise his claim. 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. ... Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Hyrum Smith Hyrum Smith (February 9, 1800—June 27, 1844) was the older brother of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Sidney Rigdon Sidney Rigdon (19 February 1793–14 July 1876) was an important figure in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... Amasa Mason Lyman (March 30, 1813–February 4, 1877) (commonly known as Amasa M. Lyman) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... John Smith (July 16, 1781-May 23, 1854), known as Uncle John, was an early leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... April 19 is the 109th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (110th in leap years). ... Year 1834 (MDCCCXXXIV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... Seal of the office of the Vice-President of the United States The Vice President of the United States is the first in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of the United States upon the death, resignation, or removal of the President. ... A running mate is a person running for a subordinate position on a joint ticket during an election. ... Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ... The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. ...

After the First Presidency, the (Presiding) Nauvoo High Council was the church's chief legislative and judicial council, and had authority equal to that of the First Presidency (LDS D&C 107:24). Nauvoo Stake President William Marks was president of the High Council at the time. Smith's widow, Emma urged Marks to succeed Smith as President and Trustee-in-Trust of the church, but Marks supported the claims of Rigdon. 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, the Presiding High Council (also called the High Council in Zion or the High Council of Zion is a standing high council which presides over other standing high councils in each stake of Zion. ... A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregrations in sects of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Emma Hale Smith Emma Hale Smith (10 July 1804 - 30 April 1879) was the wife of Joseph Smith, Jr. ...

The Quorum of the Twelve were originally ordained to be traveling ministers, and had been delegated leadership of outlying areas of the world in which no "stakes" — local congregations — were established. By revelation, the Twelve, as a body, had authority equal to the First Presidency, the Presiding High Council, and the Quorum of Seventy. (LDS D&C 107:24). However, the "twelve apostles have no right to go into Zion or any of its stakes where there is a regular high council established, to regulate any matter pertaining thereto" (Minutes of a Grand High Council, 2 May 1835, in Patriarchal Blessing Book, p. 2, Church Archives). In later years, however, Smith had given the Twelve a greater role in governing the Church, charging them with running the church's "temporal business"^[1], and admitting many of them to the Council of Fifty, his closest body of political advisors, and the Anointed Quorum, his closest body of theological advisors. Brigham Young, in particular, became one of Smith's closest confidants, and occasionally took charge during the 1840s, in Smith's absence. In Mormonism, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Quorum of the Twelve, the Council of the Twelve, or the Twelve) is one of the governing bodies of the church hierarchy in many Latter Day Saint denominations, members of which are considered to be Apostles, and special... A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregrations in sects of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... The Council of Fifty (also known as the Living Constitution, the Kingdom of God, or its name by revelation, The Kingdom of God and His Laws with the Keys and Power thereof, and Judgment in the Hands of His Servants, Ahman Christ[1]) was a Latter Day Saint organization established... The Anointed Quorum, also known as the Quorum of the Anointed, or the Holy Order, was an elite body of men and women with special standing in early Mormonism. ... See also, Brigham Young University Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 – August 29, 1877) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ...

Another possibility for succession was the Council of Fifty, a group of trusted men, some of them non-Mormon, who campaigned for Smith's 1844 run for President of the United States, and sought the establishment of a theocratic government. Rigdon had moved to Pennsylvania in order to legally run as Vice President. In a meeting of the Council of Fifty in the spring of 1844, Smith told those with him, “I roll the burthen [burden] and responsibility of leading this Church off from my shoulders on to yours,” Joseph Smith proclaimed. “Now, round up your shoulders and stand under it like men; for the Lord is going to let me rest a while” (undated Certificate of the Twelve, Brigham Young Papers). Members of the Quorum of the Twelve, who were also part of the Fifty, would later express their belief that this "charge" was directed specifically to the Twelve, and would use it to bolster their claim to succession. The question of whether it was directed to the Twelve or the Fifty is debated.^[2] The Council of Fifty (also known as the Living Constitution, the Kingdom of God, or its name by revelation, The Kingdom of God and His Laws with the Keys and Power thereof, and Judgment in the Hands of His Servants, Ahman Christ[1]) was a Latter Day Saint organization established... For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ...

Campaigning after the death of Joseph Smith

At the time of Smith's death, Rigdon, Young, and many other church leaders were out of the state on evangelical missions for the church. Rigdon returned to Nauvoo first (August 3) and the next day announced at a public meeting that he had received a revelation appointing him "Guardian of the Church." President William Marks called for a conference on August 8 to decide the issue. When Brigham Young heard about Smith's death while serving a mission in Boston, his first reaction was to ask himself “whether Joseph had taken the keys of the kingdom with him from the earth,” but he immediately felt assured that the "keys of the kingdom" rested with the church (MHBY-1, 171). There is also a Nauvoo, Alabama, and a Nauvoo, Pennsylvania Nauvoo (נָאווּ to be beautiful, Sephardi Hebrew NÃ¥vu, Tiberian Hebrew Nâwû) is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. ... is the 215th day of the year (216th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 220th day of the year (221st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... See also, Brigham Young University Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 – August 29, 1877) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ...

On August 6, Brigham Young and the rest of the Twelve returned to Nauvoo; the next day, they met with Sidney Rigdon, who repeated his claim to become the guardian of the Church. Brigham Young responded, "Joseph conferred upon our heads all the keys and powers belonging to the apostleship which he himself held before he was taken away" (Smith, History of the Church, 7:224-230). So while historically the First Presidency has previously led the Church, Young proposed an ad hoc Presidency of the Church in the Quorum of Twelve^[3]. Young tried diligently to pursuade the people that he alone held the rights to lead the Church. He even went so far as to ride through the streets in Smith's favorite horse named Joe Duncan^[4]. 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. ... This is the current Mormon collaboration of the month! Please help improve it to meet the ideal article standard. ... 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. ...

Conference of August 8, 1844

At the conference on August 8, Rigdon spoke first to the assembled, asking the saints to confirm his role as "guardian." To back his claim, Rigdon cited his long relationship with Smith and the fact that he was the only surviving member of the First Presidency. Rigdon argued also that Smith had sent him to Pennsylvania to prevent the entire presidency from being killed in the ongoing conflict. The move to Pennsylvania also occurred so Rigdon could be Smith's running mate for President, as the Vice cannot run from the same state. The LDS Conference Center in Salt Lake City In Mormonism, a General Conference is a meeting meant for instruction of all members of the Latter Day Saint faith. ... is the 220th day of the year (221st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 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. ... Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ...

After Rigdon spoke for ninety minutes, Young called for a recess of two and a half hours. When the conference resumed, Young spoke, emphasizing the idea that no man could ever replace Joseph Smith. However, he stated that the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles had all the "keys of the priesthood" that Smith had held. He answered Rigdon’s proposal to be named "guardian" by claiming that Rigdon and Smith had become estranged in recent years. Rather than a single guardian, Young proposed that the Quorum of the Twelve be named the church's First Presidency. Many of Young's followers would later reminisce that while Young spoke, he looked or sounded similar to Joseph Smith, to which they attributed the power of God.^[5] The current Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the LDS Church. ... 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. ...

Rigdon declined an offer to rebut Young, asking Phelps to speak for him. Instead Phelps spoke in favor of Young's proposal. The assembled church members then voted on whether or not to accept the Twelve as the new guardians over the church. The majority voted in favor of the Twelve. Those who opposed the vote against Rigdon were all later excommunicated from the Nauvoo church^[6]. William Wines Phelps (also W.W. Phelps, and William W. Phelps) (February 17, 1792–March 7, 1872) was an important early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... In the Latter Day Saint movement, common consent is a principle established by the movements founder Joseph Smith, Jr. ...

Latter-day Saint organization after the conference

With the support of the majority of adherents, Brigham Young reorganized the church. He met with the Twelve and members of the Anointed Quorum on August 9; Bishops Newel K. Whitney and George Miller "were appointed to settle the affairs of the late Trustee-in-Trust, Joseph Smith, and be prepared to enter upon the duties as Trustees of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." (Smith, History of the Church, 7:247). See also, Brigham Young University Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 – August 29, 1877) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... The Anointed Quorum, also known as the Quorum of the Anointed, or the Holy Order, was an elite body of men and women with special standing in early Mormonism. ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... In Mormonism, the Bishop is the leader of a local congregation and an office of the Aaronic Priesthood. ... Newel Kimball Whitney (1795–1850) (commonly known as Newel K. Whitney, with his first name sometimes being misspelled Newell) was a prominent leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and an American businessman. ... George Miller (November 25, 1794–1856) was an prominent convert in the Latter Day Saint movement and was the third ordained bishop in the Latter Day Saint church. ...

Meanwhile, Sidney Rigdon did not abandon his claims and began organizing supporters in Nauvoo. The Twelve Apostles discovered that Rigdon was undermining their authority; on September 3, 1844, Rigdon claimed "he had power and authority above the Twelve Apostles and did not consider himself amenable to their counsel" (Smith, History of the Church, 7:267). The Twelve then disfellowshipped Rigdon, on grounds of "Making a Division in the Church [by] ordaining Prophet, Priests & Kings contrary to the Say [way?] of God" (George A. Smith Diary, Sept. 3, 1844, Church Archives). He was excommunicated in absentia by the Common Council of the Church on September 8 (Times and Seasons, 5 [Sept. 15, Oct. 1, 15, 1844]: 647-655, 660-667, 685-687). Rigdon, claiming that Young's supporters had threatened his life, fled from Nauvoo and established a separate sect of the church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which excommunicated Young and most of the Twelve. Sidney Rigdon Sidney Rigdon (19 February 1793–14 July 1876) was an important figure in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For in absentia medical care, see Health care delivery. ... In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Common Council of the Church is a body of the church that has the power to discipline or remove the President of the Church or one of his counselors in the First Presidency due to misbehavior. ... is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Times and Seasons was a nineteenth-century Latter Day Saint periodical published monthly or twice-monthly at Nauvoo, Illinois, from November 1839 to February 15, 1846. ... “Pittsburgh” redirects here. ...

At the General Conference of October 6-7, 1844, the Quorum of the Twelve presided as the church's highest authority for the first time; Brigham Young was sustained as "the president of the quorum of the Twelve and first presidency of the church." The saints did not sustain William Marks as president of the Nauvoo Stake, sustaining John Smith in his place (Times and Seasons, 5 [1 Nov. 1844]: 692). In Mormonism, a general conference is a meeting open to all members of a particular Latter Day Saint denomination. ... Jan. ... William Marks (November 15, 1792 – May 22, 1872) was a leader in the early days of the Latter Day Saint movement and was a member of the First Presidency in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. ... A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregrations in sects of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... John Smith (July 16, 1781-May 23, 1854), known as Uncle John, was an early leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... The Times and Seasons was a nineteenth-century Latter Day Saint periodical published monthly or twice-monthly at Nauvoo, Illinois, from November 1839 to February 15, 1846. ...

At this conference, Brigham Young also addressed the issue of revelation. More specifically, did revelations cease with Smith's death, or, if not, who would receive and publish them? He indicated his own uncertainty concerning the subject, concluding, "Every member has the right of receiving revelations for themselves, both male and female." Then he elaborated: "If you don't know whose right it is to give revelations, I will tell you. It is I" (Times and Seasons, Vol. V, pp. 682-683). Revelation of the Last Judgment by Jacob de Backer Revelation is an uncovering or disclosure via communication from the divine of something that has been partially or wholly hidden or unknown, which could not be known apart from the unveiling (Goswiller 1987 p. ... The Times and Seasons was a nineteenth-century Latter Day Saint periodical published monthly or twice-monthly at Nauvoo, Illinois, from November 1839 to February 15, 1846. ...

The claims of James J. Strang

While these events were going on in Nauvoo, another successor of Smith began to exercise his claim in the church's outlying branches in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Although he was a recent convert (baptized in February 1844), James J. Strang posed a strong, determined, and initially quite successful challenge to the claims of Young and Rigdon. Strang was an elder in the church, charged with establishing a stake in Wisconsin, should the Latter Day Saints be forced to abandon their headquarters in Nauvoo, Illinois. He possessed a letter, known as the Letter of Appointment. This letter, purportedly written by Smith the month of his death, appointed Strang to be Smith's successor as church president. Strang also claimed that at the moment of Smith's death, he was visited by angels who ordained him as Smith's successor. 1856 daguerreotype of James Strang, taken on Beaver Island, Lake Michigan, by J. Atkyn, one of his assassins. ... A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregrations in sects of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... A Latter Day Saint (LDS) is a person who identifies with the Latter Day Saint movement and is a follower of Mormonism. ... There is also a Nauvoo, Alabama, and a Nauvoo, Pennsylvania Nauvoo (נָאווּ to be beautiful, Sephardi Hebrew Nåvu, Tiberian Hebrew Nâwû) is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. ... In Mormonism, the Letter of Appointment is a controversial two-page document used by the supporters of James Strang to prove that he was the designated successor to Joseph Smith, Jr. ... The Annunciation - the Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear Jesus (El Greco, 1575) An angel is an ethereal being found in many religions, whose duties are to assist and serve God. ...

Strang's claim appealed to many Latter Day Saints who had been attracted to the early church's doctrines of continuing revelation through the mouth of a living prophet. In the August 8, 1844, Conference, Young had emphasized that no single man could replace the prophet Joseph Smith. Young subsequently used the Times and Seasons newspaper to announce to the church, "You no longer have a prophet, but you have apostles." Strang, by contrast, announced that there was, indeed, a new Mormon prophet to succeed Smith. Strang claimed to commune with angels and that he found and translated supposedly ancient records engraved upon metal plates, just as Smith had. Continuous revelation or continuing revelation is a theological belief or position that God continues to reveal divine principles or commandments to humanity. ... For other senses of this word, see Prophet (disambiguation). ... The Times and Seasons was a nineteenth-century Latter Day Saint periodical published monthly or twice-monthly at Nauvoo, Illinois, from November 1839 to February 15, 1846. ... This is the current Mormon collaboration of the month! Please help improve it to meet the ideal article standard. ... The Voree Plates, sometimes called The Record of Rajah Manchou of Vorito were a tiny set of metal plates discovered in 1845 in Voree (now Burlington), Wisconsin. ...

Many prominent Latter Day Saints believed in the Letter of Appointment and accepted Strang as the Church's second "Prophet, Seer, Revelator, and Translator." One such follower was William Smith (Joseph's last surviving brother); he had asked to be ordained Presiding Patriarch in May 1845 and subsequently claimed that his ordination meant he should be the President of the Church, because of Hyrum Smith's position as both Presiding Patriarch and Associate President. Others included Book of Mormon witness Martin Harris, former Nauvoo Stake President William Marks, Second Bishop of the Church and church trustee-in-trust George Miller, Apostle John E. Page, former Apostle William E. M'Lellin, and John C. Bennett (excommunicated by Smith). William Smith (also found as William B. Smith) (1811–1893) born in Royalton, Vermont, was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. ... In Mormonism, the Presiding Patriarch (also called Presiding Evangelist, Patriarch over the Church, Patriarch of the Church, or Patriarch to the Church) is a Church-wide leadership office within the Latter Day Saint Priesthood. ... In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church. ... Hyrum Smith Hyrum Smith (February 9, 1800—June 27, 1844) was the older brother of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... A monument to the Three Witnesses at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. ... A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregrations in sects of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Trustee is a legal term that refers to a holder of property on behalf of a beneficiary. ... George Miller (November 25, 1794–1856) was an prominent convert in the Latter Day Saint movement and was the third ordained bishop in the Latter Day Saint church. ... This is the current Mormon collaboration of the month! Please help improve it to meet the ideal article standard. ... John Edward Page (February 25, 1799–1867) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... William Earl MLellin (January 18, 1806—April 24, 1883) (often modernized to McLellin) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... Engraving of John C. Bennett in a Napoleon-like pose as General of the Nauvoo Legion. ...

Strang's newspaper printed a statement allegedly signed by William Smith, Joseph Smith's mother, Lucy Mack Smith, and three of Joseph's sisters, certifying that "the Smith family do believe in the appointment of J. J. Strang." However, Lucy Mack Smith addressed the saints at the October 1844 General Conference and stated that she hoped all her children would accompany the saints to the West, and if they did she would go. Brigham Young then said: "We have extended the helping hand to Mother Smith. She has the best carriage in the city, and, while she lives, shall ride in it when and where she pleases" (Millennial Star, Vol. VII, p. 23). Whether she shifted her support from Brigham Young to Strang in the year following that October Conference is a matter of debate; what is certain is that she never made it to Utah, staying instead with her daughter-in-law, Emma, in Nauvoo until her death in the summer of 1856. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In Mormonism, a general conference is a meeting open to all members of a particular Latter Day Saint denomination. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Emma Hale Smith Emma Hale Smith (10 July 1804 - 30 April 1879) was the wife of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... There is also a Nauvoo, Alabama, and a Nauvoo, Pennsylvania Nauvoo (נָאווּ to be beautiful, Sephardi Hebrew Nåvu, Tiberian Hebrew Nâwû) is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Strang established his separate church organization in Voree, Wisconsin, and called upon the Latter Day Saints to gather there. He and his hierarchy were excommunicated by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in Nauvoo and vice-versa. Strang was shot June 16, 1856, and died shortly thereafter. Most of his followers then joined with Joseph Smith III and the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now called the Community of Christ). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, also known as the Strangite church, is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... Voree, Wisconsin is a former settlement and a historic site on the outskirts of present-day Burlington, Wisconsin. ... A Latter Day Saint (LDS) is a person who identifies with the Latter Day Saint movement and is a follower of Mormonism. ... is the 167th day of the year (168th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Joseph Smith III — Leader of the 1860 Reorganization of the Latter Day Saint church. ... It has been suggested that Community of Christ membership statistics be merged into this article or section. ...

Sidney Rigdon and The Church of Jesus Christ

See also: Rigdonite

Prior to the death of Joseph Smith, the First Presidency had made nearly all the major decisions and led the Church of Christ both naturally and spiritually. On June 1, 1841, Sidney Rigdon had been ordained by Joseph Smith as a "Prophet, Seer and Revelator"^{[7] [8]}—which was one of the same ecclesiastical titles held by Smith. The Church of Jesus Christ maintains that as First Counselor to Smith, Rigdon should naturally have been the leader of the church after Smith's death.^[9] With this understanding, The Church of Jesus Christ actively opposes the opinion that the Quorum of Twelve had the right to lead the church. The position of The Church of Jesus Christ is that Rigdon should have been allowed to be what he claimed to be—a "guardian" over the church until proper proceedings could decide the next church President.^[7] The Church of Jesus Christ maintains the proceedings which decided Brigham Young to lead the church were a violation of proper proceedings of the church.^[10] Rigdonite is a name given to members of the Latter Day Saint movement who accept Sidney Rigdon as the successor in the church presidency to movement founder, Joseph Smith, Jr. ... is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1841 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...

On December 27, 1847, when Young organized a new First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve only had seven of its twelve members present to represent a council to decide the Presidency.^[11] William Smith, John E. Page, and Lyman Wight had previously denounced the proceedings and were not present. John Taylor and Parley P. Pratt were in the Salt Lake Valley and could not have known of the proceedings.^[10] This left just seven present, a majority of one meaning Young would have to vote for himself in order to gain a majority quorum vote in favor of his leadership. Young chose two of the other apostles, Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards, as his counselors in the First Presidency. This left only four members of the Quorum of the Twelve present to vote in favor of creation of the new First Presidency: Orson Hyde, Wilford Woodruff, George A. Smith, and Orson Pratt. The Church of Jesus Christ views this action as a violation of church law compromising the authority of Sidney Rigdon without a majority quorum vote.^[10] The LDS Church actively opposes this view of the proceedings.^[12] December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (362nd in leap years). ... 1847 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... William Smith (also found as William B. Smith) (1811–1893) born in Royalton, Vermont, was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. ... John Edward Page (February 25, 1799–1867) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... Lyman Wight Lyman Wight (1796–1858) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... For other persons named John Taylor, see John Taylor (disambiguation). ... Parley P. Pratt Statue of Parley P. Pratt facing Parleys Canyon at sunrise. ... Salt Lake Valley from space. ... Heber C. Kimball Heber Chase Kimball (June 14, 1801 – June 22, 1868) (commonly known as Heber C. Kimball) was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement. ... Willard Richards (June 24, 1804 – March 11, 1854) was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts to Joseph and Rhoda Howe Richards on June 24, 1804. ... Orson Hyde Orson Hyde (January 8, 1805 – November 28, 1878) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. ... Wilford Woodruff (March 1, 1807 – September 2, 1898) was the fourth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), from 1889 until his death in 1898. ... George A. Smith George Albert Smith (June 26, 1817–September 1, 1875) (commonly known as George A. Smith to distinguish him from his grandson of the same name) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and as a... Orson Pratt Orson Pratt (September 19, 1811 – October 3, 1881) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. ...

After his excommunication by the Common Council of the Church and under serious persecution, Rigdon returned to Pennsylvania. The actual authority of the Common Council of the Church to execute this action is a controvershal topic between many organizations within the Latter Day Saint movement. Rigdon had been stationed in Pennsylvania in order to run for Vice President along with Joseph Smith. Rigdon toured the eastern branches of the church in late 1844 and early 1845, gathering leaders to his cause. He was joined by former members of the First Presidency, John C. Bennett and William Law and also by former Apostle William E. M'Lellin. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Common Council of the Church is a body of the church that has the power to discipline or remove the President of the Church or one of his counselors in the First Presidency due to misbehavior. ... In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Common Council of the Church is a body of the church that has the power to discipline or remove the President of the Church or one of his counselors in the First Presidency due to misbehavior. ... The Latter Day Saint movement (a subset of Restorationism) is a group of religious denominations and adherents who follow at least some of the teachings and revelations of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... 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. ... Engraving of John C. Bennett in a Napoleon-like pose as General of the Nauvoo Legion. ... William Law (1686 – April 9, 1761), English divine, was born at Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire. ... This is the current Mormon collaboration of the month! Please help improve it to meet the ideal article standard. ... William Earl MLellin (January 18, 1806—April 24, 1883) (often modernized to McLellin) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ...

On April 6, 1845 — fifteen years after the original organization of the church — Rigdon presided over a General Conference of Rigdonite Latter Day Saints in Pittsburgh, establishing a new hierarchy. He himself was sustained as President of the Church. The new Quorum of the Twelve Apostles consisted of: William E. M'Lellin, George W. Robinson, Benjamin Winchester, James Blakeslee, Josiah Ells, Hugh Herringshaw, David L. Lathrop, Jeremiah Hatch, Jr., E.R. Swackhammer, Willaim Small, Samuel Bennett. Carvel Rigdon became Presiding Patriarch, and a Standing High Council, Quorum of the Seventy, Presiding Bishopric, and other quorum presidencies were established. In addition, Rigdon called seventy-three men and boys to a "Grand Council," perhaps an adaptation of the Council of Fifty. Also at the conference, the new church organization formally returned its name to the 1830 church's original name, the "Church of Christ." is the 96th day of the year (97th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1845 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... In Mormonism, a general conference is a meeting open to all members of a particular Latter Day Saint denomination. ... In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church. ... In Mormonism, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Quorum of the Twelve, the Council of the Twelve, or the Twelve) is one of the governing bodies of the church hierarchy in many Latter Day Saint denominations, members of which are considered to be Apostles, and special... William Earl MLellin (January 18, 1806—April 24, 1883) (often modernized to McLellin) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... George Dexter Robinson (born George Washington Robinson) (January 20, 1834–February 22, 1896) was born in Lexington, Massachusetts. ... Benjamin Winchester (August 6, 1817–January 25, 1901) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... The Presiding Patriarch is a leadership office in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... In Mormonism, a high council is one of several different governing bodies that have existed in the church hierarchy on many Latter Day Saint denominations. ... The Quorums of the Seventy are area and General Authorities in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... Bishop is the highest priesthood office of the Aaronic priesthood in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... The Council of Fifty (also known as the Living Constitution, the Kingdom of God, or its name by revelation, The Kingdom of God and His Laws with the Keys and Power thereof, and Judgment in the Hands of His Servants, Ahman Christ[1]) was a Latter Day Saint organization established... The Church of Christ was the original name given to the church formally organized by Joseph Smith, Jr. ...

After this group disorganized, William Bickerton re-organized the church today known as The Church of Jesus Christ. William Bickerton (January 15, 1815—February 17, 1905) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement after the 1844 succession crisis. ... The Church of Jesus Christs historic chapel in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. ...

Aftermath

The majority of Latter Day Saints accepted the leadership of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, either immediately or within the following two decades. In 1846, this group was forced to left their homes and the newly-built Mormon temple in Nauvoo because of mounting conflict and persecutions (the temple was soon destroyed). The saints began to migrate west, though slowly at first because of the harsh winters; the wagon trains halted at Winter Quarters, Nebraska before eventually leaving to settle in the Great Basin in what is now Utah. A Latter Day Saint (LDS) is a person who identifies with the Latter Day Saint movement and is a follower of Mormonism. ... The current Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the LDS Church. ... 1846 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Salt Lake Temple is the most well-known Mormon Temple. ... There is also a Nauvoo, Alabama, and a Nauvoo, Pennsylvania Nauvoo (נָאווּ to be beautiful, Sephardi Hebrew Nåvu, Tiberian Hebrew Nâwû) is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. ... Winter Quarters, Nebraska, was an encampment formed by approximately 3,500 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as they awaited better conditions for their trek westward during the winter of 1846-1847. ... Drainage map showing the Great Basin in orange Various Definitions of the Great Basin (NPS) The Great Basin is a large, arid region of the western United States. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ...

In 1847, Brigham Young and the other Apostles formed a new First Presidency. The Church of Jesus Christ views this action as a violation of church law compromising the authority of Sidney Rigdon without a majority quorum vote.^[10] Young, who had already been sustained as the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, thus became the second President of what is now known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest sect of Mormonism by a factor of fifty (with 12,560,869 members worldwide, as of December 31, 2005). His two counselors were Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards, the latter of whom was present when Joseph Smith was killed. Young's succession became a precedent without exception within the Utah sect; with the death of each President, the First Presidency is dissolved and the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles becomes the new President. Latter-day Saints sustain the new prophet and his counselors at a "solemn assembly" during the next General Conference. 1847 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... See also, Brigham Young University Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 – August 29, 1877) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... This is the current Mormon collaboration of the month! Please help improve it to meet the ideal article standard. ... 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. ... The Church of Jesus Christs historic chapel in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. ... President Thomas S. Monson Acting President Boyd K. Packer President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church. ... The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. ... Book of Mormon, see Latter Day Saint movement. ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Heber C. Kimball Heber Chase Kimball (June 14, 1801 – June 22, 1868) (commonly known as Heber C. Kimball) was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement. ... Willard Richards (June 24, 1804 – March 11, 1854) was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts to Joseph and Rhoda Howe Richards on June 24, 1804. ... Main article: Joseph Smith, Jr. ... In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church. ... 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. ... President Thomas S. Monson Acting President Boyd K. Packer President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. ... For other senses of this word, see Prophet (disambiguation). ... In Mormonism, a general conference is a meeting open to all members of a particular Latter Day Saint denomination. ...

Sidney Rigdon's church dissolved a few years after its organization, but it was reorganized as the The Church of Jesus Christ in 1862, which continues to this day. Sidney Rigdon Sidney Rigdon (19 February 1793–14 July 1876) was an important figure in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... The Church of Jesus Christs historic chapel in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

James J. Strang's leadership was based predominantly on his claim to be a prophet called by God. When he was mortally wounded by assassins in 1856, he refused to name a successor, leaving the matter in God's hands. When no prophet appeared, the bulk of his church dissolved, though a few loyal congregations remain today. 1856 daguerreotype of James Strang, taken on Beaver Island, Lake Michigan, by J. Atkyn, one of his assassins. ... For other senses of this word, see Prophet (disambiguation). ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, also known as the Strangite church, is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement. ...

Many Latter Day Saints, including Strang, believed that one or more of Joseph Smith's sons would eventually lead the church. Even Brigham Young may have recognized the patrilineal right of succession for Smith’s sons. Decades after Smith’s murder, Young made apparently earnest entreaties to Smith’s sons, Joseph Smith III and David Hyrum Smith, to join his church's hierarchy in Utah. Both Smiths were, however, profoundly opposed to a number of practices, especially plural marriage, and refused to join the Utah church led by Brigham Young. A Latter Day Saint (LDS) is a person who identifies with the Latter Day Saint movement and is a follower of Mormonism. ... See also, Brigham Young University Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 – August 29, 1877) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... Joseph Smith III — Leader of the 1860 Reorganization of the Latter Day Saint church. ... David Hyrum Smith was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement and the youngest son of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ...

Eventually, many Latter Day Saints in the Midwest coalesced behind the leadership of Jason W. Briggs, Zenas H. Gurley, William Marks and others. In the late 1850s, they proposed a more solid church structure, sometimes referred in contemporary sources as the New Organization, and like other Latter Day Saint groups asked Joseph Smith III to be their president. Joseph III refused to lead any church unless he felt inspired to do so. By 1860, he reported that he had received such inspiration and became Prophet/President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on April 6. Joseph Smith's widow Emma, as well as Joseph III's two brothers, affiliated with this organization. A decade later the group added the word Reorganized to the official church name to distinguish it from the much larger group in Utah, who at the time were openly advocating plural marriage putting them at odds with the Federal Government. Interestingly, for a time until the start of the twentieth century, leaders of this group and the Utah group were Smith first cousins. Today, this denomination (now called the Community of Christ) is the second-largest Latter Day Saint group, consisting of 250,000 members and headquartered on a portion of the temple site in Independence, Missouri. A Latter Day Saint (LDS) is a person who identifies with the Latter Day Saint movement and is a follower of Mormonism. ... Jason W. Briggs (June 25, 1821 – January 11, 1899) was an important leader in the history of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... Zenas Hovey Gurley, Sr. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The term Latter Day Saint most commonly refers to (but is not limited to) members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which, its members believe, was founded under the direction of Jesus Christ by the prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Joseph Smith III — Leader of the 1860 Reorganization of the Latter Day Saint church. ... 1860 is the leap year starting on Sunday. ... It has been suggested that Community of Christ membership statistics be merged into this article or section. ... The term Latter Day Saint most commonly refers to (but is not limited to) members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which, its members believe, was founded under the direction of Jesus Christ by the prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. ... A view of the Temple Lot with the Community of Christs Auditorium in the background. ... Independence is a city in Missouri, in the Kansas City metropolitan area. ...

There were several other Latter Day Saint branches in Bloomington, Crow Creek, Half Moon Prairie, and Eagle Creek, Illinois, and Vermillion, Indiana, each left leaderless after the 1844 succession crisis. In 1863, these groups united under the leadership of Granville Hedrick. This group inherited the name "Church of Christ" and became known popularly as the Hedrickites. Today, this small church has ownership of a large portion of the temple site in Independence, Missouri, and its members are commonly known as the Temple Lot Mormons. The term Latter Day Saint most commonly refers to (but is not limited to) members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which, its members believe, was founded under the direction of Jesus Christ by the prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Granville Hedrick apostate of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints ... The headquarters building of the Church of Christ as seen from the original temple site designated by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... A view of the Temple Lot with the Community of Christs Auditorium in the background. ... Independence is a city in Missouri, in the Kansas City metropolitan area. ... The headquarters building of the Church of Christ as seen from the original temple site designated by Joseph Smith, Jr. ...

See also

• 1840s (Mormonism)

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1065x800, 99 KB) Summary Christus statue on Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Utah Taken by Ricardo630 in August 2005 Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms...

Notes

1. ^ (Wilford Woodruff Diary, 8 October 1841, Church Archives).
2. ^ According to Benjamin F. Johnson, a member of the Fifty but not the Twelve, recalled that Joseph rose and spoke "in the presence of the Quorum of the Twelve and others who were encircled about him." (Autobiography of Benjamin F. Johnson, p. 96). According to Wilford Woodruff, Joseph "said that the Lord had now accepted his labors and sacrifices, and did not require him any longer to carry the responsibilities and burden and bearing off of this kingdom, and turning to those around him, including the 12, he said, 'And in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I now place it upon you my brethren of the council (of 50) and I shake my skirts clear from all responsibility from this time forth.'".
3. ^ McKiernan, M.F.: The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness: Sidney Rigdon, Religious ReformerCoronado Press, 1979
4. ^ McKiernan, M.F.: The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness: Sidney Rigdon, Religious ReformerCoronado Press, 1979
5. ^ Harper 1996; Lynne Watkins Jorgensen, "The Mantle of the Prophet Joseph Smith Passes to Brother Brigham: One Hundred Twenty-one Testimonies of a Collective Spiritual Witness" in John W. Welch (ed.), 2005. Opening the Heavens: Accounts of Divine Manifestations, 1820-1844, Provo, Utah: BYU Press, pp. 374-480; Eugene English, "George Laub Nauvoo Diary," BYU Studies, 18 [Winter 1978]: 167 ("Now when President Young arose to address the congregation his voice was the voice of Bro[ther] Joseph and his face appeared as Joseph's face & should I have not seen his face but heard his voice I should have declared that it was Joseph"); William Burton Diary, May 1845. LDS Church Archives ("But their [Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith's] places were filed by others much better than I once supposed they could have been, the spirit of Joseph appeared to rest upon Brigham"); Benjamin F. Johnson, My Life's Review [Independence, 1928], p. 103-104 ("But as soon as he spoke I jumped upon my feet, for in every possible degree it was Joseph's voice, and his person, in look, attitude, dress and appearance; [it] was Joseph himself, personified and I knew in a moment the spirit and mantle of Joseph was upon him"); Life Story of Mosiah Hancock, p. 23, BYU Library ("Although only a boy, I saw the mantle of the Prophet Joseph rest upon Brigham Young; and he arose lion-like to the occasion and led the people forth"); Wilford Woodruff, Deseret News, 15 Mar. 1892 ("If I had not seen him with my own eyes, there is no one that could have convinced me that it was not Joseph Smith"); George Q. Cannon, Juvenile Instructor, 22 [29 Oct. 1870]: 174-175 ("When Brigham Young spoke it was with the voice of Joseph himself; and not only was it the voice of Joseph which was heard, but it seemed in the eyes of the people as though it was the every person of Joseph which stood before them").
6. ^ McKiernan, M.F.: The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness: Sidney Rigdon, Religious ReformerCoronado Press, 1979
7. ^ ^{a b} McKiernan, M.F. (1979). "Volume 56", The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness: Sidney Rigdon, Religious Reformer. USA: Coronado Press, 9. 
8. ^ Earlier, on March 27, 1836, at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, Joseph Smith had asked the members of the church to accept the members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve as "prophets, seers, and revelators": see B.H. Roberts (ed), History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 2:417; see also Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate 2:277.
9. ^ The Church of Jesus Christ (2002). A History of The Church of Jesus Christ: Volume 2. Monongahela, PA: The Church of Jesus Christ. 
10. ^ ^{a b c d} Calabrese, Joseph (1973). The Divine Continuity of The Church of Jesus Christ. Bridgewater, MI: The Church of Jesus Christ. 
11. ^ Nine members of the Quorum were in attendance, but only seven of the individuals were members of the Quorum on June 27, 1844, when Joseph Smith had died. Two members of the Quorum—Amasa M. Lyman and Ezra T. Benson—had been added by Young since Smith's death.
12. ^ The LDS Church maintains that Rigdon was validly excommunicated from the church by the Common Council of the Church on September 8, 1844: see History of the Church 7:268-69. The LDS Church further maintains that William Smith had been disfellowshipped and replaced in the Quorum by Amasa M. Lyman and that John E. Page had been excommunicated and replaced in the Quorum by Ezra T. Benson. Because Lyman and Benson were present at the 1847 reorganization, the LDS Church claims that nine of the nine present members of the Quorum voted in favor of reorganizing Young's First Presidency, which constituted a three-quarters majority vote of the Quorum.

is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Benjamin Franklin Johnson (July 28, 1818 – 1905) was a prominent early member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and a member of the Council of Fifty. ... Wilford Woodruff (March 1, 1807 – September 2, 1898) was the fourth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), from 1889 until his death in 1898. ... Wilford Woodruff (March 1, 1807 – September 2, 1898) was the fourth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), from 1889 until his death in 1898. ... George Q. Cannon George Quayle Cannon (January 11, 1827–April 21, 1901) (commonly known as George Q. Cannon) was an early member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and served in the First Presidency under four successive Presidents of... The Juvenile Instructor was an official periodical of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1901 and 1930. ... is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1836 (MDCCCXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Kirtland Temple is a registered National Historic Landmark in Kirtland, Ohio, USA, on the eastern edge of the Cleveland metropolitan area. ... Brigham Henry Roberts (March 13, 1857 _ September 27, 1933) was born in Warrington, a manufacturing town of Lancashire, England. ... The early history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is shared by the larger Latter Day Saint movement, which originated in upstate New York under the leadership of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... The Messenger and Advocate (previously, the Latter Day Saints Messenger and Advocate) was an early Latter Day Saint periodical published monthly in Kirtland, Ohio from October 1834 to September 1837. ... The Church of Jesus Christs historic chapel in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. ... is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Jan. ... Amasa Mason Lyman (March 30, 1813–February 4, 1877) (commonly known as Amasa M. Lyman) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... Ezra T. Benson This is about the 19th-century church leader. ... In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Common Council of the Church is a body of the church that has the power to discipline or remove the President of the Church or one of his counselors in the First Presidency due to misbehavior. ... is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Jan. ... History of the Church (cited as HC) (originally entitled History of Joseph Smith; later entitled History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; nicknamed Documentary History of the Church or DHC) is a seven-volume work of history outlining the early history of The Church of Jesus... Amasa Mason Lyman (March 30, 1813–February 4, 1877) (commonly known as Amasa M. Lyman) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... Ezra T. Benson This is about the 19th-century church leader. ...

References

1. Harper, Reid L. (1996), "The Mantle of Joseph: Creation of a Mormon Miracle", Journal of Mormon History 22 (2): 35–71.
2. Quinn, D. Michael (1976), "The Mormon Succession Crisis of 1844", BYU Studies 16 (2): 187–234.

This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

External links

• "Conclusion of Elder Rigdon's Trial", Millennial Star (supplement), December 1844 : a contemporary account of the Common Council of the Church's trial of Sidney Rigdon