History of Mormonism

The world today is made up of different religions to which people profess their faith. The differences in different religions are based on the beliefs each has and the way each religion exercises or conduct its worship, prayers and appease the Supreme Being advocated by the religion. The religions vary from beliefs on physical items to those of unseen Supreme Beings.  The spirituality associated with the various religions differs greatly. Some people are said to meet the agents of their supreme being while others believe they cannot meet them until they die. Time factor is also important since some of the religions are very old and were practised thousands of years ago while other are a few centuries old or even a few decades old.

Religion is known to affect and influence the cultural and social life of the communities. Due to respect given to the powerful being which the community worships, people’s behaviours are expected to be in line with the requirements of the religion. This ends up influencing the community and extends to almost all the aspects of the nation including politics. This has been seen in various parts of the world where leadership is based on religious terms.

Each of the known religions do have history that traces the source of their establishment and the circumstance that led to their invention. This is important because it marks the reference point to the faith of the religion’s followers. Most religions refer to a point when the professed powerful being interacted with mankind and ordained the beginning of the religion. Various communities will narrate such interactions as myths but they remain to be foundation of their faith. This articles looks at one of recently formed religions, Mormonism; which is less than two centuries old and which, unlike most religions, branched from another religion, Christianity with the said purpose of restoring it (thechristianexpositor.org). However it has faced criticism and it is therefore important to understand its historical development to date.

Mormon religion, also called the church of the Jesus Christ of the latter days, started in 1830 in New York. It was established by Joseph Smith which he proclaimed to be the restoration of the fallen Christianity. Since this religion emanated from an individual, it would be important to understand the background of Smith so as to gain perspective of what transpired and led to the Mormon religion.

Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith was born in 1806 of a poor family, and after his father’s business of exporting ginseng to China failed, they relocated to Western New York. As a teen, his family members moved from one church to another and this introduced confusion of which the true Christian faith is in young Smith (Bushman and Mushman 3). God and Jesus are said to appear to Smith at age fourteen year and told him that the Christian denominations no longer had true faith and that and told Smith not to join the denominations.

About the same time, a magician came to the village in which Smith’s family lived and claimed that he would be able to locate water and treasures using some magic stones, if paid three dollars a day. Smith became curious of the magician’s art and spent most of his time with the magician. After sometime the magician left after he could not find the treasure and the people could therefore not pay him. However, Smith had learnt a lot and he started using some magic stones with which he is said to have been able to locate lost tools.

At seventeen years of age, an angel, Moroni, directed Smith to a place with two golden plates after which Smith went to the place and found the plates, together with another plate of brass with Hebrew writings written by Laban (Bushman and Bushman 5). He also found a breast place and two stones which he said helped him translate the writings of the other plates. He was not to remove the items from there and would revisit it each autumn equinox for 4 years.

He said he would be able to locate treasures in Damascus, New York; like the magician and charged three dollars a day but he also failed. He did not go home but instead fell in love with Hale, a teacher. Her father was one of the diggers who were fooled by Smith about treasures and therefore Smith had to elope with her to his home. Later, they went back to pick her belongings; he was then forgiven by Hale’s father and given a house (religiousfacts.com). He then translated the tablets which he was shown by Moroni into English.

 When book of Lehi’s manuscript was lost by Harris Wife, instead of translating it again, Smith said that God had taken away the special translating stones. He instead translated Nephi with the same account of book of Lehi where Jesus was asserted to have appeared in America after he had resurrected in Jerusalem.

Smith claims that John the Baptist appeared to him and Crowdery and ordained them for Aaronic priesthood and gave then baptismal teachings. Apostle peter, James and Paul came and gave the two, Melchizedech priesthood and made them the first two elders of the restored church (religiousfacts.com).

In 1830, Smith and Crowdery formed the church of Jesus Christ of the latter day saints. The church gained one thousand followers within the first year after inception. The church was persecuted immediately after being conceived and as a result it moved towards west. In Kirtland, Ohio, Sidney region, a famous preacher joined the LDS. Here and in Jackson County, United Order of Enoch was formed by Smith. However, persecution increased and Mormon’s property was burned and some member killed by non Mormons. However, the church increased it membership the more.

In 1839, over 15000 Mormons could not stand the hostility of slave owners of Missouri and they fled to Illinois. Nauvoo was a city built by Joseph Smith to promote commercial activities of Mormons but its success provoked hostility from the communities around. By 1844, Nauvoo Mormon was publishing a reform newspaper which led to the state government arresting Smith. He was killed by a mob while in prison in Nauvoo in 1844 (Bushman and bushman 105).

After the death of Joseph Smith, there was a series of obstacles that threatened the leadership of the church. Initially, the church should have been led by Hyrum the brother to Smith and the assistant president of the church but he died with him. The second brother Samuel who was proposed to take over after the two had die did not make it and a month later he also died (relionfacts.com). Brigham Young had to go back to Nauvoo and take over from where Smith had reached but at the same time William, another brother of Smith was under consideration as the successor.

The other men who would have been considered for the leadership of the church of Jesus Christ of the latter day saints had been excommunicated (thechristianexpositor.org). These include David Whitmer who had witnessed the book of Mormon and Cowdery who had been ordained together with Smith. Despite the losses and obstacles at that moment, the leadership was instituted where Rigdon became the president of the church after he was recalled from excommunication. This was against Hale, Smith’s wife wishes who wanted William to take over presidency of the church. However, William declined and said that Rigdon deserved it more. William took over the presiding high council which was the top most legislative and judicial council in Nauvoo. Young became the leader of the quorum of the twelve disciples, a team which was in charge of all programs concerning missionary work.

However, there were chaos and a meeting was called at Nauvoo. Rigdon and Young made their cases.  Rigdon believed that he was the only surviving member of the first presidency of the church and claimed he should be allowed to lead the church. On the other hand Young reasoned that in the absence of Smith, the quorum of the twelve should be left to be the highest authority. The congregation voted in favour of Young. This struggle was exacerbated by an additional claimant called Strang from Wisconsin who said that Smith, before his death had told him to take over the leadership of the church. Unfortunately for Strang, the congregation did not know him. Although he would have attracted a significant following, he was assassinated (religiousfacts.com). Rigdon moved out and established a church in Pennsylvania.

With the death and Strang and flight of Rigdon, the quorum of the twelve assumed control of the church in Nauvoo which had become the headquarters of the Mormons. Reorganised church of Jesus Christ of the latter day saints was formed by the eldest son of Smith and most of the congregation members joined it. 

The conflict between the Mormons and non Mormons had increased leading to the Mormon war of Illinois. The Mormons who were living in other areas were driven away and they ran to Nauvoo for protection. The state legislature of Illinois revoked Nauvoo city at a point when the population of Nauvoo had increased to over 12000 inhabitants. Young and the twelve agreed that since there was not going to be peace they would move and abandon the city (religiousfacts.com).

However, the family of Smith, Hale and her children did not leave Nauvoo with the other members of latter day saints. Many remnants of the LDS congregated and worshipped under the leadership of Smith III and renamed the organisation from reorganised church of Jesus Christ of the latter day saints to community of Christ. This has remained to be one of largest LDS church and has its headquarters at the place where the initial temple was situated in Nauvoo.

Later on, some of the members who were not affiliated to the two groups and from Indiana and Illinois formed a third organisation with the original name of the church, church of Jesus Christ. This was led by Hedrick Granville and it was the first group to go back to Missouri. This today have their headquarters at the place where the first temple was located.

Over the following century, the Mormons groupings concentrated on establishing themselves in the various parts of the world. However, there were no major changes that would significantly impact the religion to the present day. However, the groupings had resulted to two major groups and other minor denominations at the present.

The first group is the church of Jesus Christ latter day saint. Today, this is the largest Mormon organization with members adding up to millions and it continues to be led by successors of Brigham Young. Young was the one who reorganized the first presidency of this group as well as its quorum of the twelve disciples and the church has continued in the same pattern and structure (Howe 36). The president is the prophet of the LDS church and whenever he dies, the head of the quorum of the twelve apostles becomes the head of the church. Today, the church is headed by Thomas Monson as the prophet and president of the church. It has been known for its humanitarian activities.

The second denomination is the Community of Christ which has at least two hundred thousand members. This is the group that was led by Smith’s son. It has been served by descendants of Smith as the prophets and presidents until the 21^st century. After the retirement of Wallace Smith, a descendant of Smith, the leadership went to Stephen Veazey who is not a descendant of Smith. They have elements of Protestantism but also observe the book of Mormon and like other Mormons, they are peace keepers.

The other minor denominations include Temple lot, Cutlerite, Bickertonite and church of Christ with the Elijah message. All these have a minor following but a major belief system that is not different from the major two denominations.

Although Mormonism is based on the belief that the initial Christianity had failed and they are a restored lot, they have been criticised for a number of their beliefs and activities which are thought to be inconsistent with other Christians’ belief.

Mormon religion, like Christians believe in God the father, son and Holy Spirit. They also practice some of the virtues that are encouraged among Christians (carm.org). These include love, patience, preaching peace and having dependence on God. They also believe that there is heaven and hell and that those who are considered righteous will go to heaven while the wicked will go hell after death. The organisation of their churches is also almost the same as those of Christians since they have had bishops, priests, prophets, church elders among others. They baptise people with the hope that these people will receive Holy Spirit at baptism; they participate in the Lord’s Supper (sacrament) and also do missions calling people to repentance like the Christians.

Despite their common features with the Christians, they believe that God has always had more information for his people which he reveals to them and this has led to the several changes that have been witnessed in the development of the church of Jesus Christ of the latter day saints (thechristianexpositor.org). Although they believe in the bible and other ancient writings, they have their own books they follow alongside bible. They also derive their inspirations and revelations from their prophet. The prophet is said to be important because he communicates contemporary guidelines and requirements from God.

The Revelation of the Mormons greatest prophet, Joseph Smith, was that the LDS would build a Zion which would be the New Jerusalem. While the Christians’ New Jerusalem is perceived as heaven in Christianity, the Mormons believe that their Zion is centered at Jackson County. Although Christian Zion requires just righteousness, Mormons Zion requires that people would give all they had for the purpose of building it and distributing the property within its community of believers. There is still a belief among the Mormons that when they are ready, Zion will be build.

There are other practices and behaviours that make their credibility as true Christians to be doubted. Although they believe in God, it is seen like they believe in a different God altogether. Their teachings reveal that the God they believe in used to be a person before exaltation and came with his wives in this planet (Slick in carm.org). They believe that gods have existed infinitely as one god exalts a person to godhood. However this contradicts the bible which they also believe and which says that God does is one not change with time or season. These elements of contradictions are used by Christians and other religions to enforce that Mormonism is a false religion and a cult.

            According to thechristianexpositor.org, the missionaries of the Mormon religion have been known to claim use protective charms such as sacred underwear to protect them from evil. In their sermons there are claims that they subject new converts to oaths. The member is threatened with the penalty of death if he reveals their secrets. They also have been using insulting words written all over their temples against orthodox Christians. According to the website, the Mormons believe that being black is a curse from God for disobedience in pre-life and therefore blacks are inferior. They believe that after dying they become gods and are given planets to rule over; believe that God and Jesus have many wives; that sins, including a white marrying a black person, should be punished by castration or murder on the spot (thechritianexpositor.org). All these seem to contrast what Christians believe in and therefore raising scepticism on whether they really belief in Holy trinity as they claim or they are a cult.

In conclusion, it is important to reiterate that religion is a factor that strongly influences the behaviour and practices of societies. Mormonism is traced from a person who was said to be ordinary, with little education, from poor family and with ordinary life. Despite these factors, the religion has spread throughout the world and accounting for millions of followers. Despite the initial problems after the death of its founder, the religion seems to have strengthened its foundation and survived more than one and a half centuries. The religion, despite criticism, is reaching all the people and with its humanitarian activities, it is bound to progress in the future. It doubles its membership every 15 years (Bushman and Bushman 1).