Since 1960 I've wanted to know who was involved in the murder of the Prophet Joseph Smith on June 27, 1844. Persecution against all members was epidemic in Missouri and Illinois. How many members of the Church were secretly involved in the murder? Thanks to the internet and years of research into the Mormon Church archives with Howard W. Hunter, the truth is coming out about the true terrorists against those who accepted baptism in the Mormon Church for the past 174 years.

In reading Apostle Pratt’s book,  I discovered important stories about the disharmony and manufactured lies by the early leaders of the Church in 1844. Politics were the main focus of the apostles just before the murder of the prophet and his brother. In May, 1844 Joseph Smith asked Parley P. Pratt and other apostles to go to the Eastern States and campaign for his and Sidney Ridgon’s presidential candidacy. On June 18, 1844 Joseph Smith wrote and mailed a letter to a new convert, attorney James J. Strang about the members leaving Nauvoo in the near future and establishing a new church headquarters in Wisconsin to escape persecution. On June 25, 1844 (two days before the murder) Apostle Parley P. Pratt felt impressed to immediately return back to Nauvoo, Illinois. He was near Utica, New York. Elder Pratt took a steamer to Wisconsin and this is where he discovered the murder of Joseph and Hyrum Smith in the newspapers. On June 27, 1844 in Wisconsin another church leader felt the murder in a dream, also. Joseph Smith had baptized Brother Strang on February 25, 1844. He was a former Michigan state legislator and wanted to help protect the sovereignty and rights of the members of the Church. He was a devoted anti-Mason and fought secret organizations.

While Elder Pratt was walking "over the plains of Illinois, lonely and solitary" he "reflected as follows: I am now drawing near to the beloved city; in a day or two I shall be there. How shall I meet the sorrowing widows and orphans...What shall I say? Or how console and advise twenty-five thousand people who will throng about me in tears, and in the absence of my President and the older members of the now presiding council, will ask counsel at my hands?...When I could endure it no longer, I cried out aloud, saying: O Lord! In the name of Jesus Christ I pray Thee, show me what these things mean, and what I shall say to Thy people? On a sudden the Spirit of God came upon me, and filled my heart with joy and gladness indescribable; and while the spirit of revelation glowed in my bosom with a visible a warmth and gladness as if it were fire. The Spirit said unto me:

"Lift up your head and rejoice; for behold! It is well with my servants Joseph and Hyrum. My servant Joseph still holds the keys of my kingdom in this dispensation, and he shall stand in due time on the earth, in the flesh, and fulfill that to which he is appointed. Go and say unto my people in Nauvoo, that they shall continue to pursue their daily duties and take care of themselves, and make no movement in Church government to reorganize or alter anything until the return of the remainder of the Quorum of the Twelve..."

Elder Pratt further wrote: "...I, therefore, prayed the Lord to repeat to me the same things the second time; if, indeed, I might be sure of their truth, as I prayed thus, the same spirit burned in my bosom, and the Spirit of the Lord repented to me the same message again. I then went on my way rejoicing, and soon arrived in Nauvoo, and delivered this message both to the people and friends individually, and in the great congregation.

In confirmation that the message was right, I found them already renewing their labors....Elder Rigdon arrived from Pittsburgh soon after my arrival, and with the aid of Elder Marks, local President of the Nauvoo Stake, and others, attempted to worm himself in as President of the whole Church. A public meeting was actually called and appointed for that purpose; the call being made and the day appointed by President Marks on the public stand. President Willard Richards was present when this appointment was announced. On being informed of this untimely and underhanded attempt, I called upon Elder Ridgon to meet with us—that is, the three of the Twelve then in the city, at the house of brother Taylor, who was still confined with his wounds, and there we expostulated with him, and showed our reasons for being opposed to such a course....At this time, President Marks joined with the widow of the martyred Joseph and some others, in a council in the upper room of brother Joseph’s house, to try to nominate and appoint a trustee in trust for the whole Church. I entered this council and heard Mrs. Emma Smith plead in relation to this matter, the great importance and absolute necessity of immediate action on this subject, as delay would endanger much property of a public and private character, and perhaps cause a loss of scores of thousands. I arose and protested against any action of the kind, telling them plainly that the appointment of a trustee in trust was the business of the whole Church, through its general authorities, and not the business of the local authorities of any one stake of the Church, and that, therefore, it could not be done till the remainder of the quorum returned. To this it was replied that by this delay much property would be lost. I again repeated that dollars and cents were no consideration with me, when principle was at stake, and if thousands or even millions were lost, let them go. We could not and would not suffer the authorities and principle of the Church to be trampled under foot, for the sake of pecuniary interest. The council finally broke up without accomplishing anything." (Pages 332-335)

Following Smith’s murder, it was not immediately clear who would lead the church. There was not one legitimate route of succession to Joseph Smith’s presidency. At the time of his death there were only four rightful claims to the Presidency: Sidney Ridgon, James J. Strang, William Marks and the Quorum of the 12.

Background:

When the original 12 Apostles were called by Joseph Smith in February, 1835 he established the rules and regulations of the church throughout the world. The Twelve Apostles were the ones assigned this task for the global enforcement. This is found in D&C 107. "The Twelve are a Traveling Presiding High Council, to officiate in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Presidency of the Church, agreeable to the institution of heaven; to build up the church, and regulate all the affairs of the same in all nations, first unto the Gentiles and secondly unto the Jews." (v. 33) The Twelve Apostles were the only group who could excommunicate the President of the Church with a vote by all members in ‘common council’: "There is not any person belonging to the church who is exempt from this council of the church. And inasmuch as a President of the High Priesthood shall transgress, he shall be had in remembrance before the common council of the church, who shall be assisted by twelve counselors of the High Priesthood; and their decision upon his head shall be an end of controversy concerning him." (v. 81-84)

After two years of Church operation with a Quorum of Twelve Apostles going out to the world, the Lord warned Joseph Smith on July 23, 1837 about apostles not being unified in their dealings within the Church. D&C 112 was a revelation directly against all members of the Twelve: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, darkness covereth the earth, and gross darkness the minds of the people, and all flesh has become corrupt before my face. Behold, vengeance cometh speedily upon the inhabitants of the earth, a day of wrath, a day of burning, a day of desolation, of weeping, of mourning, and of lamentation; and as a whirlwind it shall come upon all the face of the earth, saith the Lord. And upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord. First among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house, saith the Lord..." (v 23-26)

On April 26, 1838 the Church headquarters was separated from the "stakes" throughout the world. (D&C 115) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints became the official name of the Church at this time and Joseph Smith was the President of the Church with Sidney Rigdon, Hyrum Smith and Edward Partridge as counselors.

Of the Original 12 Apostles: -Apostle Thomas B. March was excommunicated on March 17, 1839. He was re-baptized in July, 1857. Apostle David W. Patten was killed on October 25, 1838 in Missouri. Apostle Orson Hyde was removed from the Quorum on May 4, 1839. Apostle William E. M’Lellin was excommunicated on May 11, 1838. Apostle Luke S. Johnson was excommunicated on April 13, 1838. Apostle William Smith was removed from the Quorum on May 4, 1839 (same time Orson Hyde was). Smith was re-instated on May 25, 1839 with Hyde. Apostle John F. Boynton was excommunicated in September, 1837. Apostle Lyman E. Johnson was excommunicated on April 13, 1838.

By January, 1841 all but four of the original Apostles called had been excommunicated from the Church. Two of the last four remaining had been leaders in the New York Masonic Lodges before they joined the Church in 1832, Heber C. Kimball and Brigham Young. The only non-Masonic Apostles left in the Quorum were Parley P. Pratt and his younger brother, Orson Pratt. On January 19, 1841 the Lord commanded Joseph Smith to build the Lord’s Temple in Nauvoo. But Joseph got a warning about this revelation: "And if my people will hearken unto my voice, and unto the voice of my servants, whom I have appointed to lead my people, behold, verily I say unto you, they shall not be moved out of their place. But if they will not hearken to my voice, nor unto the voice of these men whom I have appointed, they shall not be blest, because they pollute mine holy grounds, and mine holy ordinances, and charters, and my holy words which I give unto them. And it shall come to pass that if you build a house unto my name, and do not do the things that I say, I will not perform the oath which I make unto you, neither fulfill the promises which ye expect at my hands, saith the Lord. For instead of blessings, ye, by your own works, bring cursings, wrath, indignation, and judgments upon your own heads, by your follies, and by all your abominations, which you practice before me, saith the Lord." (D&C 124: 45-48)

The Nauvoo Temple was never finished and by 1847 it was destroyed. In 1845 Apostle William Smith claimed the practices which Brigham Young (D&C 126) and Heber C. Kimball were teaching were not taught by his brother the President and Prophet, Seer and Revelator of the Lord about what each member does before the Lord in the Temple. Joseph Smith was never a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, so his "position" as Prophet and President was the calling being disputed by all the leaders in 1844.

The four most powerful successor claims to Joseph Smith’s position are as follows:

1. Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. This quorum of global Church leaders held a meeting on August 9, 1844 and claimed they would take charge until a new President could be approved by the members of the Church. They cited one of the first revelations to Joseph Smith to be held in April, 1845 (see D&C 26) Brigham Young didn’t claim to be a prophet of God. By 1845 there was a serious falling out of the Church leaders, including some of the 12 Apostles, in the decision on who would replace Joseph Smith. Apostles William Smith and John E. Page agreed with William Marks and Emma Smith to support the claims made within the letter hand-written by Joseph Smith to James J. Strang.

2. Sidney Rigdon, the only remaining member of the First Presidency. On April 19, 1834 Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery had "laid hands upon bro. Sidney and confirmed upon him the blessing 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)

3. James J. Strang, a recent convert who produced a letter purportedly from Joseph Smith designating him as Smith’s successor, and who claimed that angels visited him at the time of Smith’s death and ordained him Smith’s successor. See original documents submitted, via internet (Strangite, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) http://www.strangite.org/Name.htm

4. William Marks, the President of the High Council of Nauvoo, Illinois, the "central stake of Zion". By revelation on March 28, 1835, Smith had stated that the High Council in Zion was equal in authority to both the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. See D&C 107: 22, 24-26, 36-37)

It has been shown how Sidney Ridgon and William Marks claims were terminated in August, 1844. William Marks endorsed the claim made by James J. Strang for "prophet". Since September, 1844 the only remaining target to destroy by Masons Heber C. Kimball and Brigham Young was James J. Strang. Apostles Parley P. Pratt and Orson Pratt favored the Church to be run by the Quorum of the Twelve and have the Presiding Bishop take care of the management of the Temporal Affairs of the members. History was distorted by certain apostles against the claims of James J. Strang for the church to move to Wisconsin. These apostles were all members of the Masonic Lodges in New York before April 6, 1830.

James J. Strang was assassinated in the summer of 1856 in Michigan. At the time there were over 12,000 baptized members living in Michigan and Wisconsin and all did not support the polygamy and temple practices taught in Utah between 1847-1856. After the death of James J. Strang many who were followers of organization joined up with the Church which is now called the Community of Christ (Re-organized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) formed in 1860 in Independence, Missouri, Joseph Smith III presiding until his death in 1916.

Parley P. Pratt was assassinated on May 13, 1857 in Arkansas, four miles from the home of the Founder of the Royal Scottish Masonic Rites and KKK, Albert Pike. On September 11, 1857 the Mountain Meadow Massacre happened in Southern Utah against Arkansas settlers moving to California. I have documented how this mass murdering act was a game-plan originated with the Masonic Lodges to create an "event" which would cease all investigations in to the assassination of Parley P. Pratt and be a "warning" to anyone who did. In the 1850s Parley P. Pratt and Orson Pratt were openly challenging many instructions and teachings made by Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball. As stated in this document, by 1841 the Pratt brothers and Young/Kimball were the only original apostles not excommunicated. The Pratt's were used for their missionary success and were kept out of the decision making process to (mis)lead the church. Was Parley P. Pratt repenting and reconsidering his decisions to move out to Utah rather than Wisconsin?

What did James J. Strang do in the Wisconsin congregation which has been proven prophetic of thousands of baptized members today?

1. President Strang presided over general conference resolutions to allow African Americans to hold the high priesthood by 1849. That was consistent with Joseph Smith’s known ordination of a black man named Elijah Abel to the high priesthood office of "seventy" in 1836. The Book of Mormon says that "black and white" are all invited and "all are alike to God". There were two significant Black elders in the Church under President Strang while he was alive, namely Samuel Chambers and Samuel Walker. The Mormon Church approved this action in 1978.

2. Under Joseph Smith, most ordained teachers were adult men. However, earlier Emma Smith (the wife of Joseph) was ordained to be a teacher (D&C 25:7 and 20:59). In 1851, President Strang invited women into lesser priesthood roles; in 1853, a substantial number of women were ordained to be teachers, and by 1856 when he was assassinated women were lecturing in the School of the Prophets. The RLDS church approved this action in 1984.

The RLDS has God's approval and blessings in giving the priesthood to the women. They now need to get back to the Original Book of Mormon! In the Gospel of Mary, (suppressed ancient christian records-see "Status of Mary Magdalene for documentation) the Savior stated that all are called of God to preach when touched by the Spirit, Men AND Women - with all of the authority and power of the priesthood. There is NO elitism or male chauvism or respector of person in GOD! To think otherwise is to choose tradition over truth to satisfy your own insecurity or need for supremecy.  All are chosen children of God IF they followed the Lord's spiritual teachings!

3. Scriptures say not to have "fine clothing" or "costly apparel", but to "let all thy garments be plain". (2 Nephi 28:13, Alma 5:53, D&C 42:40) Elvira Field was a school teacher and a national advocate for the rights of women, and founder of the earliest female sororities. She even implemented a style of pants that preceded the liberating Amelia Bloomer pants, consistent with Mormon beliefs to have "plainness in dress" and avoid the "fashion of the world (Evening and Morning Star, June 1832; and Elders’ Journal, August 1838). Members of the Church were welcome to wear those comfortable pants in President Strang’s settlements by 1849, when hooped tight dresses were required apparel for women in American cities.

4. James J. Strang claims he was ordained by an angel. Brigham Young was in charge of the Council of Fifty and the murderous Danites. Brigham Young was excommunicated from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by a voice vote under the direction of President Strang.

In conclusion, the daughters to the late RLDS Prophet Wallace Smith are probably the best candidates to unify all baptized members of the organization founded by John the Baptist on May 15, 1829 through the baptisms of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Once you are baptized, you hold the priesthood of Jesus Christ.  This week the only Non-Smith President of the RLDS Church resigned at the young age of 57.