Podcasts about James Strang

Come along on this journey to Beaver Island, where James Strang was crowned King! We'll learn more about this early Mormon prophet. You don't want to miss this! https://youtu.be/MPrutzK6ljQ Don't miss our other conversations about Strangism: https://gospeltangents.com/denominations/strangites/ Copyright © 2025 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission. I'm taking you on a journey to Beaver Island, Michigan, a place central to the intriguing story of James Strang and his followers. James Strang: From Convert to Contender The tale begins with James Strang, a relatively recent convert to Mormonism, having joined the church just a few months before Joseph Smith sent him on a mission to Wisconsin. After Joseph Smith was killed on June 27, 1844, James Strang made two significant claims to succeed Smith: Angelic Ordination: Strang claimed that the angel Moroni appeared to him and ordained him to be the next prophet1. Letter of Appointment: He also presented a letter, purportedly from Joseph Smith, dated June 18, with a postmark from Nauvoo, Illinois, on June 19. The authenticity of this "letter of appointment" has been a major point of contention. Brigham Young immediately deemed it a forgery. A peculiar postmark (due to a piece of lint in the Nauvoo stamp) was used at the Nauvoo post office. Young followers claimed this was evidence of a forgery. However, when it was shown to be on other letters, Strang used as proof of authenticity. Michael Quinn, a historian, believed the letter was a fraud or forgery. Quinn noted that the signature was written in block letters and Joseph Smith's signature did not match his usual signature, although he acknowledged Joseph often used scribes. Quinn speculated that Strang might have taken a genuine letter from Nauvoo and written on it himself, with the postmark appearing to be genuine. The letter itself was vague, not explicitly naming Strang as the new church president, but rather seeming to put him in charge of the church in Wisconsin, a role Strang might have "inflated". Despite the controversy, Strang attracted some notable converts, including Joseph Smith's brother, William Smith, as well as John Page, Martin Harris, and William Marks, with several members of the Smith family initially encouraging him. Kingdom on Beaver Island Strang eventually received a revelation to move his community from Wisconsin to Beaver Island, Michigan before 1850. On Beaver Island, James Strang, much like Joseph Smith with the Council of 50, was ordained a king. This ambition, where Mormons attempted to take over the government, often led to conflict with surrounding communities. Tragedy and Scattering The Strangite community on Beaver Island ultimately faced a tragic end. In 1856, James Strang was assassinated on the dock by former Strangites. These individuals are referred to as "pseudos" or "pseudo-Mormons" by Strangites, distinguishing them from the LDS term "apostates". Strang was shot. Though not killed immediately, he succumbed to his wounds about three weeks later. Following his assassination, the US Navy, which was patrolling Lake Michigan for pirates, scattered all the people on Beaver Island. They were dropped off in various ports, often penniless and without food or money, a "terrible tragedy" that led to the scattering of Strangites. Today, while the largest congregation is believed to be in Burlington, Wisconsin (which James Strang called Voree), smaller groups exist in New Mexico, Colorado, and potentially West Virginia. Planning Your Visit to Beaver Island For those intrigued by this unique historical site, Beaver Island is accessible by ferry or plane. Travel from Grand Rapids: My journey started at Gerald R. Ford Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan. From there, it's about a three-hour drive to Charlevoix, Michigan, the departure point for the ferry or small plane.

Gary Weber, a member of the Strangite Church, shared unique insights into their doctrines, including polygamy, baptism for the dead, and their distinctive interpretation of the "stick of Judah" prophecy. https://youtu.be/_e1Zm605gtE   0:00 Distinctive Stance on Polygamy  The Strangite Church believes that polygamy is an eternal principle and can be acceptable to God if commanded by Him, primarily "to build up seed unto [His] name," not for lustful purposes. This aligns with the Book of Jacob in the Book of Mormon, which states one should have only one wife "unless I command you otherwise.” Historical figures like Abraham are cited as examples of righteous men who practiced it when commanded.  Regarding their founder, James Strang, initially, he was against polygamy. However, he later embraced it, reportedly through inspiration from God on Beaver Island, allowing it as part of the "Book of the Law of the Lord.” It's notable that its practice was limited, with perhaps only five families out of thousands practicing it due to financial constraints and the crucial requirement that the wife must not object.  Currently, the Strangite Church does not practice polygamy. This is primarily because they believe in keeping the laws of the land, and polygamy is against the law. They hold that God would not put people in a position to break the law and go to jail. Gary Weber noted that Joseph Smith also said, "We believe in keeping the laws of the land.” Furthermore, they believe that only a prophet can "usher in a dispensation for polygamy.” Interestingly, Gary mentioned that Joseph Smith allegedly cut off a Mr. Brown from the church for practicing and teaching polygamy three months before his death, suggesting an inconsistency in Joseph Smith's own stated position if he himself practiced it.  5:17 Baptism for the Dead  Another unique doctrine discussed is baptism for the dead, which the Strangites believe requires a prophet to "usher in a dispensation" and obtain "the keys from Elijah.” They assert that both Joseph Smith and James A. Strang received these keys and therefore practiced it. The "Book of the Law of the Lord" includes a section on the doctrine of baptism for the dead, which is described as identical to the information Joseph Smith put out in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants.  A significant difference between the Strangite practice and that of the Utah Mormons (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) is that the Strangites believe that the sex of the person does not matter; a woman could be baptized for her deceased father if he hadn't been baptized. In contrast, the Utah church generally practices that women baptize for women and men for men.  However, the Strangite Church does not currently practice baptism for the dead. The reason, similar to polygamy, is the absence of a living prophet on the earth.  8:39 Waiting for the Prophet of the "Stick of Judah"  The Strangite Church has a distinct eschatological belief tied to a prophecy in Genesis 49, where Jacob blesses his 12 sons. When speaking of Judah, it states, "the lawgiver shall not depart between the feet of Judah.” They interpret this to mean that after Joseph Smith, who they consider the prophet of the "stick of Ephraim," there was to be a prophet from the tribe of Judah who would "bring forth the book of the law.”  This next prophet is expected to remain in the house of Judah, from the tribe of King David, and will take the gospel to the house of Israel. The Strangite Church is currently waiting for this prophet to come forth, as they believe there was meant to be an "indirect period of time" after James Strang, before the "house of Israel's dispensation to the Jews" began.  13:29 James Strang's Life & Beaver Island Community  James Strang lived in the Voree/Burlington area, Wisconsin, from about 1842 until approximately 1849 or 1850. He then moved his community to Beaver Island around 1850,

It's always fun to talk to someone from the Strangite Church, officially known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) Based in Burlington, Wisconsin, this branch of the Latter-day Saint movement offers a distinctive perspective on the succession of Joseph Smith and the ongoing divine restoration. https://youtu.be/RUL8rF0hb4U Strangite Genesis in Voree The current headquarters of the Strangite Church is Burlington, Wisconsin. Interestingly, the area holds historical significance with multiple names. It was originally called Foxville. While today it's known as Burlington, a specific area on the west side of town where the Mormon settlement was located was called Voree by the early Strangites, a name associated with the significant "Voree record". James J. Strang led his followers to this location, believing God had instructed them to move from Nauvoo. James Strang was dispatched to the Burlington area by Joseph Smith, having been baptized and made an elder by Smith himself. Strang wrote back to Joseph Smith, suggesting Voree would be a "wonderful place for a gathering" due to its rich resources like fish, fresh water, great farmland, and good soil near the Great Lakes. Initially, Joseph Smith was hesitant, but after discussion with Hyrum Smith and a subsequent spiritual revelation, he concluded that Voree was indeed a good place for the Saints. James J. Strang: Joseph Smith's Chosen Successor? The Strangite Church believes that James J. Strang was divinely appointed as Joseph Smith's successor. This belief is rooted in two pivotal events: The Letter of Appointment: Joseph Smith penned a letter to James A. Strang, officially appointing him as his successor. This original letter is now preserved at Yale University in the Beineke Library, with copies available for members. The Angelic Ordination: On the very day Joseph Smith was assassinated, June 27, 1844, angels appeared to James J. Strang and ordained him a prophet. These were believed to be the same angels who ordained Joseph Smith – Peter, James, and John. Strang was aware of Joseph's death through this angelic visitation even before news arrived from Nauvoo. Furthermore, it's believed that Jesus also anointed Strang as the King of Israel for the gentile dispensation, an ordination attributed to his lineage from the royal line of King David. Sacred Texts and Prophetic Interpretations The Strangite Church embraces a unique canon of scripture beyond what is common in other Latter-day Saint traditions: The Voree Plates: These ancient plates were revealed to James Strang through a vision from the angel Moroni, known as the Hill of Promise. Strang gathered leading citizens to witness their excavation from beneath a tree, about four feet down, where roots had grown around them. The plates, housed in an earthen case, crumbled upon exposure to air due to their age. Witnesses, including a newspaper reporter from Kenosha, confirmed the ancient nature of the record and that the site had been undisturbed. Strang translated them using the Urim and Thummim given to him by the angel Moroni, much like Joseph Smith used the Urim and Thummim to translate the Book of Mormon. The Voree Plates provide a brief history of a people who were "no more" and, most notably, contained a pictorial drawing depicting the true structure of the priesthood, including the prophet lawgiver, two viceroys, twelve apostles, high priests, and seventies. These plates were translated around 1844. The Book of the Law: This significant text is believed to be the "stick of Judah" spoken of in Ezekiel 37. According to Strangite belief, Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon (the stick of Ephraim), but was instructed not to touch the sealed record, which was the Book of the Law, meant for a future prophet. James J. Strang, being of the tribe of Judah with Jewish ancestry, translated the Book of the Law after receiving the plates of Laban from the angel Moroni.

It's July 7th. This day in 1850, a man by the name of James Strang has proclaimed himself the true inheritor of the Mormon church -- and set up a colony on Beaver Island in Michigan.Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss a time of religious awakening in America, how Strang convinced his followers that he was their leader, and how he ruled over his flock of 2500 acolytes. Also: buried treasure.Help out with America 250 Watch! Subscribe to our newsletter for our ongoing coverage and commentary on how America 250 is playing out.https://thisdaypod.substack.com/Find out more at thisdaypod.comThis Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.Your support helps foster independent, artist-owned podcasts and award-winning stories.If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.comGet in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Follow us on social @thisdaypodOur team: Jacob Feldman, Researcher/Producer; Brittani Brown, Producer; Khawla Nakua, Transcripts; music by Teen Daze and Blue Dot Sessions; Audrey Mardavich is our Executive Producer at Radiotopia Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Join us on a fascinating journey to Voree/Burlington, Wisconsin, to explore the unique history and beliefs of a Latter-day Saint group often referred to as the Strangites. This isn't the commonly known LDS Church; rather, it's a distinct branch founded by James Strang. He started a rival Mormon Church in Voree/Burlington, Wisconsin back in 1844 and the church still exists! We'll tour around the Trust Farm and see historic sites, including the Hill of Promise & the home where James Strang died. Gary Weber is a Strangite. He's our tour guide and we'll discuss their church and theology. You don't want to miss this conversation... https://youtu.be/vlL_OQ69CEo Copyright © 2025 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission. Genesis of Strangism The Strangite Church, formally known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Strangite), was founded in 1844. James Strang, who had been sent on a mission to Wisconsin by Joseph Smith, claimed that an angel ordained him on June 27, 1844, the very day Joseph Smith died. This divine ordination, he asserted, made him the rightful successor to the church's leadership. Trip to Voree/Burlington The journey to this lesser-known Latter-day Saint community in Wisconsin involved a mix of trains, planes, and automobiles. Landing in Milwaukee, the trip continued towards Burlington, Wisconsin, where the Church is located. The group believes they are the original Mormon Church and refer to themselves as Mormons. The area around Burlington, known as Voree is the setting for much of Strangite history, especially concerning the "Voree record". The weather in Burlington on June 12th was surprisingly mild for summer, with a high of just 63 and low around 56 degrees Fahrenheit, a notable difference from Utah's typical June temperatures. Current Church Building and Surroundings The current Strangite church building, located on Spring Valley Road near what's called "Mormon Road," is smaller than I expected. According to Bill Shepard, a long-time resident & member, this building was constructed around 1965-1967 and marks the first time the Strangites have had a dedicated church building, as they were previously scattered. The lawn around the chapel is nicely manicured, and visitors are always welcome. Inside, or in their collections, the Strangites possess a wealth of historical documents, including 26 volumes of the Journal of Discourses, Times and Seasons, and Millennial Star. They also have Strang Manuscripts, which are copies of letters, and a publication called The Northern Islander, which was published at Beaver Island. Notably, the Strangites do use the Doctrine and Covenants. Sacred Hill of Promise One of the most significant sites for Strangites is the Hill of Promise. This is where James Strang is believed to have found his "Voree plates. The discovery was found under a small tree on the hill, under which Strang claimed a buried record lay. He gathered respected men from the town to witness the excavation, ensuring no prior disturbance of the soil. An angel reportedly appeared to Strang, revealing the record's location. Upon opening the stone casing, the ancient record crumbled due to exposure to air, a common occurrence with ancient artifacts according to Weber. Strang translated this record using the Urim and Thummim, which he said he received from the angel Moroni. The "Voree record" was a short account of a people named "Raja Ramor" who lived in the area and, similar to the Nephites on the Hill Cumorah, were largely destroyed in a great war. The record also depicted the priesthood structure, aligning precisely with the priesthood under Joseph Smith and James Strang, including prophet, viceroy, twelve apostles, and seventies. Beyond its historical significance, the Hill of Promise holds prophetic importance: James Strang's revelations indicate that Daniel from the Bible will someday app...

I've visited some temples recently! "Gospel Tangents" recently hosted a surprise live session, a "late night unannounced edition," much to the delight of its "night owl" viewers. I shared a whirlwind of Temples, Travels, updates, upcoming content, and even some breaking news from various Restorationist traditions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw_a2PA5jAU Temples, Travels, & Timely Insights! I've been traveling extensively, leading to a "boatload of pictures" and a significant backlog of videos waiting to be edited. Despite the busy schedule, i'm eager to share my experiences: Community of Christ World Conference in Independence: Rick attended and captured his reactions to Stassi Cramm being ordained the new prophet. While there, he met a man from New Zealand (a "Kiwi") and expressed hope for interviews with people from the Temple Lot Church, including Tom from a fundamentalist group and potentially Stassi Cramm herself. Mormon History Association (MHA): This event also proved fruitful, including tours of LDS churches, such as an old one in Ogden and Joseph Soderberg's church where President Hinckley reportedly gained his testimony. Exploring the Strangites in Wisconsin: This trip was a major highlight. I stayed with Bill Shepard, a former guest, and toured various Strangite sites with Gary Weber and David Boice. ◦ A key stop was the Hill of Promise, which the Strangites consider akin to the Hill Cumorah. It's believed to be where James J. Strang found the Voree record, a "short record of the people of Raja Ramor." This record described a people similar to those in the Book of Mormon, with a priesthood structure mirroring Joseph and James's. The Hill of Promise also holds future significance, as Strangite revelations state that Daniel from the Bible will appear there to announce Christ's approaching second coming. ◦ I also visited the site of the unbuilt Strangite temple in Burlington, which was planned to be "quite significant" in size. ◦ Rick also drove by James Strang's house in Burlington, where Strang died three weeks after his assassination on the dock of Lake Michiga. ◦ A fascinating piece of news is that David Boice is moving to Utah at the end of July. Rick plans to visit Beaver Island (Strangite Island) in July or August, noting that while Gary Weber says there's "not a lot to see," one can rent a golf cart for getting around. He also mentioned Vicki Speek is working on a census of the island. ◦ For those unfamiliar, James J. Strang claimed an angelic ordination on the day Joseph Smith died (June 27, 1844). He translated the Voree plates and later the "plates of Laban" (published as the Book of the Law of the Lord). He settled in Burlington, then moved to Beaver Island, where he was crowned king and even served in the Michigan legislature. His efforts to stop Gentiles from selling liquor to Native Americans reportedly led to his assassination with the help of the U.S. Navy. Upcoming Trip to Calgary and Cardston, Alberta: Rick is flying to Calgary for his son's wedding. He plans to make a video about the Cardston Alberta Temple, which was the first international temple for the LDS Church. Some compare it to the Mesa Temple and notes its "pioneer feel" like the Manti Temple. The Cardston Temple's murals are darker, possibly due to varnish, and hopes for a refurbishment once a new temple opens in Lethbridge. Book Giveaways and Exciting New Releases The live session included a book giveaway for "Joseph Fielding Smith a Mormon Theologian," won by Mark Francis. Looking ahead, the channel is celebrating the release of John Turner's new book, "Joseph Smith The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet," which launched in June on Amazon. (The contest is over now.) Rick gave away an autographed copy of this book. Potentially "Breaking News" from the Temple Lot Church I discovered some surprising news regarding the Temple Lot Church: they are "going to quit selling the Book of Commandme...

Host Martin Tanner highly recommends a new, historically accurate, highest quality LDS film Six Days in August, about the succession issue, who would lead the Church after Joseph Smith was murdered on June 27th, 1844.  For several months it was unclear who would lead the Church.  The Council of the Twelve Apostles and its president, Brigham Young, promised to continue to lead the Church just as Joseph Smith had been planning.  Sidney Rigdon, another possible successor, would have kept the Church in Nauvoo or in the mid-West.  James Strang claimed to be a successor prophet and wanted to lead the Church.  Emma wanted Joseph Smith, III, to be the next president, but he was only 11 years old.  In a Church assembly in August 1844, Sidney Rigdon spoke and convinced many he should lead, but them Brigham Young spoke, and according to the diaries of over 120 people who were at the assembly, Brigham Young appeared to appear as Joseph Smith, or sounded like Joseph Smith, which was taken as a sign from God. The Church members overwhelmingly voted for Brigham and the Apostles to lead the Church.

Who was James J. Strang? And why were his claims so appealing to so many of those Latter-day Saints who did not follow Brigham Young and Twelve after the succession crisis of 1844? Why did his movement experience so much initial success but then dissipate so quickly? Some have made strong comparisons between James Strang and Joseph Smith, but how accurate are these comparisons really?  On this episode of Church History Matters, we sit down with Dr. Kyle Beshears, a friend and expert researcher on the Strangite branch of the Restoration, to take a deep dive into the details of this movement. For show notes and transcript for this and other episodes go to https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/church-history-matters-podcast/   

Show NotesIn this episode Andrew shares his research on the origins of the Book of Mormon and the early roots of the Mormon church. This includes discussing the belief that gold plates were discoverd near New York in the early 19th century that gave the purported story of jews emigrating from the holy land to the americas in around 600 BC. Andrew also covers aspects of the character and background of the founder of the Mormon church, Joseph Smith. Also discussed is the cultural context and setting with the probable sources that influenced the formation of the book of Mormon. We also discuss the very facinating succesors to the Jospeth Smith, Brigham Young and also his rival, a certain James Strang and his very facinating story. For the hosts of this podcast we cannot help but see so many parallels with Mormonism and evangelical christianity. The many schisms, the fundamentalist and progressive divide, the apologetic strategies, prophecies that were unfullfilled and the pure devotion and passion for the book of Mormon as the word of God. All these aspects ring so true with evanglical christianity. Its easy as outsiders to see right through Mormonism but not so easy to look at ones own faith with the same level of honest critiscism.We have so much evidence to wade through with Mormon history and we can't help but think what would the early roots of Christianity look like if we had the wealth of contempory evidence that Mormon history has at our disposal. Would it bring to light the dark side of the human interactions and stories surrounding christian origins that would shock us if the reality was like that of the history of the Mormon church?The facinating story of James Strang, a contender to succeed Josepth Smith. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl83_X1Zslw

In this week's episode, a listener's question about the Council of Fifty leads us to a discussion of George Adams and a blistering letter from his brother Elias over the James Strang controversy. If you would like to join us on a Standard of Truth Tour in the summer of 2024 please sign up at: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/ If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com Subscribe to our free newsletter⁠ - ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/⁠ Please visit our website at ⁠www.standardoftruth.com⁠

S01E167: Crow Energy Lincoln Logs 7% Interest Edward Norton Dog's A Bummer Private Browsing Joins Us!! It's Her First Time… ⛧ American Monarchs ⛧ California's Gold Rush and the Price of Rice ⛧ Joshua Norton Declares Himself Emperor ⛧ US Grant's Account of 1852-53 San Francisco ⛧ Imperial Decrees ⛧ Joseph Smith, James Strang, and Mormons ⛧ Strang Becomes King of Beaver Island, Michigan ⛧ Polygamy and Pantalones - Women of the Church He's a Huckster BYO3-DG - Live 7:30p 9:30c 10:30e BTS.lol https://zososcorner.substack.com/p/s01e167 http://scream.behindthesch3m3s.com/radio/8000/.mp3

  In this episode of The Interpreter Radio Show, our hosts are Bruce Webster, Kris Frederickson, and Robert Boylan. They discuss Come, Follow Me New Testament lesson 33, James Strang and the Voree Plates and the recent article by John Gee. You can listen to or download the July 16th broadcast of the Interpreter Radio […] The post Interpreter Radio Show — July 16, 2023 first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

What do two Evangelicals from Northwest Indiana have in common with each other? Their profound interest in the Restoration and the churches of the Mormon Movement would be the answer! Pastor Kyle Beshears (PhD in Religious Studies) joins Steven Pynakker to discuss his interest in the history and theology of the Restoration. In particular Kyle's focus is on the history and beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that is best know for being founded by James Strang. I hope that you'll find this conversation interesting and perhaps a good introduction to this little known church of the Restoration. Please look out for a paper that Kyle wrote “In Love and Union: The Writings of Mr. Charles J. Douglass, Secret Plural Wife of a Mormon King". This paper is slated for publication the spring edition of JWHA's journal

In our final conversation with historian Vickie Speek, she'll talk about the James Strang's death, and how the role of prophet & apostle did not continue in the Strangite Church. She also shares how learning about James Strang adversely affected her testimony of Joseph Smith. Check out our conversation.... https://youtu.be/GQT6x3xKo2U Copyright © 2023 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission. transcript to follow Copyright © 2023 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission.

Vickie Speek continues our conversation about James Strang, an early rival to Brigham Young. Strang gained some famous Strangites to his movement. He was successful in gaining some influential converts like Martin Harris & William Smith. Who else joined? Vickie will share that, as well as information on Strangite temple practices and other scriptures produced by James Strang called the Book of the Law of the Lord. Check out our conversation.... https://youtu.be/qY02Tb-POWg Copyright © 2023 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission. transcript to follow Copyright © 2023 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission.

Vickie Speek is the premier expert on the life of James Strang, an early Mormon leader. We'll talk about Strang's vision, calling as a prophet, the plates and revelations he was involved with, and whether they might have been forged. You won't want to miss this conversation.  Check it out... https://youtu.be/0qx_m5TJkzw Copyright © 2023 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission. transcript to follow Copyright © 2023 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission.

Dr Kyle Beshears dives into James Strang's wives and concubines. We'll learn about a cross-dressing polygamist wife, and about James Strang's life. Check out our conversation... https://youtu.be/29wBDWpLUik Copyright © 2023 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission. transcript to follow Copyright © 2023 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission.

Following the death of Joseph Smith, a succession crisis enveloped the Church. Several vied for leadership. While most people recognize Brigham Young and Joseph Smith III, there were several other leaders like Alpheus Cutler, Granville Hedrick, James Strang, and others who led movements still leading congregations today. Not only that, but others have broken off […]

I'm excited to have Dr Casey Griffiths back on the show. He's a Church History professor at BYU and we're going to talk about 2 of his newest books, 50 Relics of the Restoration & Truth Seeker. He's the incoming JWHA president, and we'll talk about several relics from other restoration groups, including James Strang's […]

Apostasy is something the LDS Church show serious concern over. And why shouldn’t they knowing James Strang, Lorin C. Wooley, Denver Snuffer, Julie Rowe all have led Splinter Factions of one sort or another that have had influence over segments of Latter-day Saints. The idea that a few voices or even a single voice can… Read More »Mormonism LIVE: 101: The Third Convention

Apostasy is something the LDS Church show serious concern over. And why shouldn't they knowing James Strang, Lorin C. Wooley, Denver Snuffer, Julie Rowe all have led Splinter Factions of one sort or another that have had influence over segments of Latter-day Saints. The idea that a few voices or even a single voice can… Read More »Mormonism LIVE: 101: The Third Convention

Apostasy is something the LDS Church show serious concern over. And why shouldn’t they knowing James Strang, Lorin C. Wooley, Denver Snuffer, Julie Rowe all have led Splinter Factions of one sort or another that have had influence over segments of Latter-day Saints. The idea that a few voices or even a single voice can… Read More »Mormonism LIVE: 101: The Third Convention The post Mormonism LIVE: 101: The Third Convention appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

Apostasy is something the LDS Church show serious concern over. And why shouldn't they knowing James Strang, Lorin C. Wooley, Denver Snuffer, Julie Rowe all have led Splinter Factions of one sort or another that have had influence over segments of Latter-day Saints. The idea that a few voices or even a single voice can… Read More »Mormonism LIVE: 101: The Third Convention The post Mormonism LIVE: 101: The Third Convention appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

¡Escucha nuestra mini temporada exclusiva en Podimo! https://podimo.com/latam/herejes Apoya Herejes: https://www.patreon.com/herejeselpodcast Merch https://www.staymetal666.mitiendanube.com/ Una nueva oportunidad para revisar un episodio con Larva. Uds lo votaron, (para felicidad de vasco que otra vez ganó la votación), asi que acá estamos, amargandonos para ampliar uno de nuestros episodios fundacionales. Warren Jeff (Keep Sweet, la Serie de Netflix), los fundamentalistas de Jesucristo de los Santos de los últimos Días, la isla Mormona de James Strang, y mucha reflexión sobre la religión que todos amamos odiar. Si sos Patreon Cucurrul, tu contenido favorito ya está aquí. ¿Si no lo sos, que esperás? - Ale Durán - https://twitter.com/FunkBob - - https://www.instagram.com/corsario.hereje/ - Ale Vázquez -  https://instagram.com/vasco.hereje/ - Bobby López - https://twitter.com/BobbyEsqvlz - https://www.instagram.com/bobby.hereje/

James Strang was a recent convert to the church who claimed to be the successor of Joseph after the martyrdom. Strang also claimed to have discovered ancient metal plates, What do we know about this man and his claims? The post Witnesses of the Book of Mormon — Insights Episode 26: James Strang's Witnesses first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

In the final part of the James Strang saga, Bryan and Lindsay discuss the rise and downfall of the growing Mormon congregation on Beaver island known as the Strangite movement.

In the final part of the James Strang saga, Bryan and Lindsay discuss the rise and downfall of the growing Mormon congregation on Beaver island known as the Strangite movement.

The James Strang has left the station and things keep getting... stranger. In this episode, Bryan and Lindsay discuss how James Strang's Mormon movement takes off and moves to Beaver Island, causing all sorts of problems.

The James Strang has left the station and things keep getting… stranger. In this episode, Bryan and Lindsay discuss how James Strang’s Mormon movement takes off and moves to Beaver Island, causing all sorts of problems.

The Great Lakes in North America were formed when colossal glaciers from the past melted, and left huge gouges in the land. Throughout the years those gouges filled with rainwater and snow melt off, and gave us the Great Lakes. To give you an idea of how enormous these lakes are - They have enough water to cover all of North America in 18 inches of water, there are over 35,000 islands scattered across all 5 of the lakes, and you could expect to travel 6,500 miles if you want to drive around the Great Lakes. I originally planned to do a Great Lakes episode, and that's still the plan, but for this particular episode we're specifically going to be focusing on the shores of the state of Michigan.Sources:Ghosts and Legends of Michigan's West Coast by Amberrose HammondMichigan's Haunted Lighthouses from Dianna Higgs StampflerShedding Light on the Spirited Stories from Mackinac Island's Mission Point from the Promote Michigan BlogFacts & History from the Grand Traverse Lighthouse WebsiteThe Mormon Pirate King, James Strang from MHUGL10 Deep Facts About the Great Lakes from Mental FlossMoral Re-Armament from Britannica Our Story from the Mission Point Resort WebsiteThe Haunting of Bowers Harbor Inn – Is It Genevieve Stickney's Ghost? from the Old Mission Gazette Bower's Harbor Inn from HauntedHouses.comGerman Castle from HauntedHouses.comSeul Choix Point Lighthouse from LighthouseFriends.comHaunted Michigan: The Seul Point Lighthouse from 99 WFMKGhost Hunters: Season 7 - Episode 6 "Frozen in Fear" from Amazon

After Joseph Smith died, there were two contenders for the Mormon Throne - Brigham Young and James Strang.  Although one group broke off and went to Utah, ultimately becoming the Mormon community known globally today, the other took a different path.  And that path was Beaver Island.

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about one or the boldest cult leaders to ever live—James Strang. He proclaimed himself the King of Beaver Island in Lake Michigan, and from there, he ran an empire of lumber theft, polygamy, and even piracy across The Great Lakes. He wrote diaries in a made up language (that took a century to decode), forged documents and holy artifacts to help take power within the Mormon Church, and even became a member of the House of Representatives. Oh, and there was that one time he hid his second wife by dressing her as a boy and saying she was his cousin. If you like cults, this one has it all!   Visit Our Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Strang https://leelanau.com/remembering-king-strang-of-beaver-island/ https://www.michiganradio.org/arts-culture/2020-07-24/new-book-documents-the-life-of-james-jesse-strang-self-professed-mormon-monarch-of-beaver-island https://mynorth.com/2009/03/beaver-islands-king/ https://www.ranker.com/list/james-strang-mormon-king-of-beaver-island/genevieve-carlton https://www.wpr.org/most-audacious-con-man-youve-never-heard https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voree_plates#Script_used_on_the_plates

James Strang era un líder Santo de los Últimos días en Nauvoo que estableció una secta mormona en una isla después del asesinato de José Smith, había varios reclamantes a su papel como líder y profeta de La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días.  Síguenos y visita nuestro sitio oficial: instagram.com/eldollop twitter.com/eldollop facebook.com/eldolloppodcast eldollop.com/  

On the latest episode of Mormon Book Reviews, John Hamer returns to discuss the 1844-1860 period of Church history. This was a very tumultous time in which many there were many claimants to succeed Joseph Smith. We discuss James Strang, William Bickerton and Joseph Smith III among others. The Mormon Reformation is discussed as well as the beginning of the formation of what would become the RLDS. I want to thank John for coming on and I look forward to having him come back on to tell us about the history of the RLDS/Community of Christ. Stay Tuned!PatreonBrigham Young American MosesJoseph Smith III Pragmatic ProphetWilliam Bickerton Forgotten Latter Day Prophet

This week our friends at Saint's Unscripted, for unknown reasons, continue their series on the history of James Strang. Trying to force the "false equivalency" narrative, David examines the Strangite testimonies in comparison to the Mormon witnesses. Support The Master's Dog by contributing to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-master-s-dog

This week the folks over at Saint's Unscripted have done their 2nd out of apparently 4 videos dealing with James Strang, a potential successor to Joseph Smith and another self proclaimed, Prophet, Revelator, and King. I'm wondering why the spotlight on a man that many people , even those deceived by Mormon Theology, have no idea who he is. Support The Master's Dog by contributing to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-master-s-dog

Author Miles Harvey introduces us to James Strang, a charismatic young lawyer and avowed atheist, who vanished from a rural town in 1840s New York. Soon he persuaded hundreds of fellow Mormon-converts to follow him to an island, where he declared himself a divine king. Was his murder considered vigilante justice?  Written, researched, and hosted by Kate Winkler Dawson/producer Alexis Amorosi/sound designer Andrew Eapen/composer Curtis Heath/web designer Ilsa Brink/additional research Ella Middleton  Subscribe to my newsletter: tenfoldmorewicked.com  Buy my books: katewinklerdawson.com  If you have suggestions for historical crimes that could use some attention, email me: info@tenfoldmorewicked.com  Follow me on social: @tenfoldmore (Twitter) / @tenfoldmorewicked (Facebook and Instagram)  2021 All Rights Reserved  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Jesse Strang (March 21, 1813 – July 9, 1856) was an American religious leader, politician and self-proclaimed monarch. In 1844 he claimed to have been appointed to be the successor of Joseph Smith as leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite),[a] a faction of the Latter Day Saint movement. Strang testified that he had possession of a letter from Smith naming him as his successor, and furthermore reported that he had been ordained to the prophetic office by an angel. His organization is claimed by his followers to be the sole legitimate continuation of the Church of Christ founded by Joseph Smith fourteen years before. (Source: Wikipedia) ————— We are 100% donor funded! Please click HERE to donate and keep this content coming! Click here to donate monthly: $10 $25 $50 —————

Strap in because this one is wild from start to finish. James Strang takes you on adventures no one saw coming.Intro: Bad Bite by '68Outro: I Didn't Want to Join Your Stupid Cult Anyway by Every Time I Die

Don't you love it when the new guy comes in and sweeps you off your feet? Joseph Smith sure did. Learn about one of the more... controversial figures in Mormon history, James Stranghttps://ifyoucatchmygrift.com/Twitter: @catchmygriftpod@catchdalton@austinagogoInstagram: @catchmygriftpodhttps://www.facebook.com/IfYouCatchMyGrift/Footnotes: Harvey, Miles. The King of Confidence: A Tale of Utopian Dreamers, Frontier Schemers, True Believers, False Prophets, and the Murder of an American Monarch. Little Brown and Company, 2020.

This episode marks an exciting time in Smatter of Fact history: we have our first podcast guest appearance from the one and only Josh Gingery. Josh is one of our biggest fans and first listeners, and led the episode where he talks about the rise and fall of James Strang and Beaver Island in Michigan. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/malmaddie/support

James Strang was of his time, but also very recognizable to ours. In the 1840’s he was a charismatic lawyer, politician, religious leader and confidence man. On this week’s All About Books, a spirited biography of a remarkable fraud. The King of Confidence” by Miles Harvey

CAS 11 - 5-1 - 2020 James Strang C-F Pride by Calling All Sports

Matt Berninger of The National talks about his debut solo album, "Serpentine Prison." Also, film critic Adam Nayman on Paul Thomas Anderson's masterful movies. And author Miles Harvey on the most infamous con man you've never heard of -- James Strang.

Author Miles Harvey takes a look at a little-known but very significant tale of a man who declared himself king - in America. This story of 19th-century curiosity includes religion, espionage, piracy, US Presidents and more. Harvey's book - The King of Confidence - tells the story of James Strang, and a strange tale it is indeed. Books - www.amazon.com/shop/jvjtaps Host - JV Johnson - www.facebook.com/jvjparanormal Patreon - www.patreon.com/johaw --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/brparanormal/support

James Strang is barely known to most Latter-day Saints, a new book, "The King of Confidence" goes into the rise and fall of this self-proclaimed monarch.

THE UTAH WAR OF 1857, Chapter 12 of Kingdom of God volume 3  Pages 147-161 John Taylor to Captain Marcy: Excuse me, sir, when I say that you are merely the servants of a lamentably corrupt administration; that your primary law is obedience to orders, and that you came here with armed foreigners, with cannon, rifles, bayonets and broadswords, expressly, and for the openly avowed purpose of “cutting out the loathsome ulcer from the body politic.” (Contributor 3:339)  No sooner had the Saints arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, than a petition was sent to the Committee on Territories of the Unitqed States against the Mormon territory becoming a State. It was from the Beaver Island apostate group led by James Strang and William Smith, brother to Joseph. They were establishing their kingdom of God and didn’t want Brigham Young to establish another.  When a false story about the Mormons starting a “rebellion” reached Washington, D.C., Pres. Buchanan over-reacted and ordered an army to go west to stop this uprising. The government administration was incited to defend their authority in the territory; on the other hand, the Mormons felt they had to defend themselves for survival against a federal army.  Polygamy had already been publicly announced in 1852 as a doctrine of Mormonism, and ten years later Lincoln signed a law against it. 

0:00- About Miles Harvey and the focus of his latest book, James Strang 10:52- Strang is baptized by Hyrum and claims to be the new prophet 24:18- Moving to Beaver Island and starting a kingdom 29:53- Elected to Michigan state... The post Miles Harvey Ep. 425 The Cultural Hall appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

Reset talks with Chicago author Miles Harvey, who brings to life one of Lake Michigan’s most iconic characters, James Strang.

In the summer of 1843, James Strang, a charismatic young lawyer and avowed atheist, vanished from a rural town in New York. Months later he reappeared on the Midwestern frontier and converted to a burgeoning religious movement known as Mormonism. In the wake of the murder of the sect’s leader, Joseph Smith, Strang unveiled a letter purportedly from the prophet naming him successor, and persuaded hundreds of fellow converts to follow him to an island in Lake Michigan, where he declared himself a divine king. From this stronghold he controlled a fourth of the state of Michigan, establishing a pirate colony where he practiced plural marriage and perpetrated thefts, corruption, and frauds of all kinds. Eventually, having run afoul of powerful enemies, including the American president, Strang was assassinated, an event that was frontpage news across the country. Today’s guest is Miles Harvey, author of “The King of Confidence.” Centering his narrative on this charlatan’s turbulent twelve years in power, Strang’s story gets into a crucial period of antebellum history and an account of one of the country’s boldest con men and the boisterous era that allowed him to thrive.

Mormons and most Christians observe Sunday, the first day of the week, as a day of worship.  James Strang taught his followers, on the other hand, that they should observe a 7th day Sabbath.  It turns out that  Strang had a revelation saying the proper day of worship was the 7th day, rather than the […] The post *7th Day Sabbath Mormons & Other Teachings (Part 6 of 6) appeared first on Gospel Tangents.

Both Joseph Smith and James Strang died in a hail of bullets.  In our next conversation with historian Bill Shepard, we will learn more about the martyrdom of James Strang. GT: So he’s on Beaver Island. He creates a lot of political enemies and I guess religious as well. Bill: Not only that, there’s Alexander […] The post Martyrdom of James Strang (Part 4 of 6) appeared first on Gospel Tangents.

Joseph Smith translated golden plates that became the Book of Mormon at the start of his call as prophet.  It turns out that James Strang also was a translator.  He translated plates at the beginning of his call as prophet.  These are known as the Voree Plates.  Historian Bill Shepard will tell us more about […] The post Strang’s Prophetic Role as Translator (Part 3 of 6) appeared first on Gospel Tangents.

Following James Strang’s prophetic call, he sought to gather people to his movement.  Strang’s Mormon missions included trips to Kirtland, Ohio, home of the temple, and he tried to gather people to Wisconsin as the new promised land.  Historian Bill Shepard will describe more about these missions by James Strang. Bill:  Strang is going to […] The post Strang’s Mormon Missions (Part 2 of 6) appeared first on Gospel Tangents.

Bill Shepard is an amazing Mormon historian, and a former president of the John Whitmer Historical Association.  He is also a Strangite.  In our first conversation with Bill, we will get acquainted with him, and learn more about these other Mormons, & James Strang, a prophet many of you may not have heard of. GT  […] The post “The Other Mormons” – Intro to James Strang (Part 1 of 6) appeared first on Gospel Tangents.

Criminal Behaviorology Religion Reinforced – Religion as a schedule-induced behavior and the case of “King” James Strang Timothy reads from a 2009 article on religion as a schedule-induced behavior by Paul S. Strand. In addition, a reading from Larry B. Massie’s Voyages Into Michigan’s Past focuses on a segment of a Mormon sect from the 19th century, and their leader James Strang who declared himself a king, and was revered as a prophet. Show Highlights: - The two classes of religious behavior: Nonoperant schedule-induced and operant behavior. The consistency of these two classes with the “graceful” and “effortful” religious experiences written about by theologians. - How and why religion may maintain as a behavior across continents and generations. Religious behavior transcends topography. - Learning in the form of socially mediated reinforcement. Acquired religious behavior may be motivated by social contingencies. Foundational religious behavior is motivated by something more. Foundational religious behavior continues regardless of the consequences. - Declaring oneself an atheist as a religious act in itself. - The potential for the automatic reinforcement of religion. - Skinner’s superstition concept, and how subsequent research does not support his conclusions as an explanation of religious behavior. - Induced behavior as being in the middle ground between pure operant behavior and reflexes. - The murder of James Jesse Strang (“The King of Beaver Island”). The dramatic career of Strang as a Mormon religious leader and violent end of the Strangite sect on a remote Lake Michigan island. Religion as Schedule-Induced Behavior by Paul S. Strand, The Behavior Analyst (2009) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2686986/ Voyages Into Michigan’s Past by Larry B. Massie https://www.amazon.com/Voyages-into-Michigans-Larry-Massie/dp/0932212581 Criminal Behaviorology podcast on Michigan’s True Crime https://anchor.fm/criminalbehaviorology/episodes/Michigans-True-Crime--Tobin-T--Buhk-discusses-his-career-as-a-true-crime-writer-as-we-focus-on-his-book-True-Crime-Michigan--The-States-Most-Notorious-Criminal-Cases-e3km7i Criminal Behaviorology podcast on Pirates! https://anchor.fm/criminalbehaviorology/episodes/Pirates--Behavior-Analysis-and-Maritime-Crime-from-the-Great-Lakes-to-Modern-Day-Somalia-e5epfr See Criminal Behaviorology on Blogger. CB Podcast Sites: https://criminalbehaviorology.podomatic.com https://anchor.fm/criminalbehaviorology https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/criminal-behaviorology/id1441879795?mt=2&uo=4 https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy83MzY4OWFjL3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz https://open.spotify.com/show/5VM7Sjv762u7nb91YWGczZ https://www.breaker.audio/criminal-behaviorology https://overcast.fm/itunes1441879795/criminal-behaviorology https://pca.st/Q38w https://radiopublic.com/criminal-behaviorology-GEv2AZ https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/anchor-podcasts/criminal-behaviorology Please write a review on any of our podcast sites listed above. Questions, comments, and requests for transcripts to: criminalbehaviorology@gmail.com Thank you for listening. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/criminalbehaviorology/support

James Strang, Canistota-Freeman football coach

I'm excited to introduce historian Melvin Johnson.  He's written a biography on early Mormon pioneer John Pierce Hawley.  Hawley traveled extensively among several Mormon groups from Nauvoo to Salt Lake to Texas.  Johnson tells about some of the early Mormon persecutions, and this was one I hadn't heard of! https://youtu.be/N06_Qdtgnd4 GT : Okay, so what you're saying is, as Joseph was building the city of Nauvoo, that he sent Lyman Wight on a mission to Wisconsin to get wood so that they could build all the buildings in Nauvoo. Mel: Almost right.  The earlier story is the Nauvoo House committee, with Apostle Wight, Bishop George Miller, Peter Hawes, Lucien Woodward, Alpheus Cutler and others were on the committee, and they were cast to go to the territory of Wisconsin to locate existing sawmills, purchase them, and then begin the program of making lumber and timber for the temple, house and other projects. That began in 1841. It was not a good start. George Miller was drafted because of his business ability. He could be a cranky, irritable person. The only two church authorities--religious authorities that he ever followed closely and trusted implicitly, was Joseph Smith Jr. and later, after his death, James Strang in Wisconsin and Michigan. He distrusted almost everybody else.  [He was] not impressed with Brigham Young in the slightest and would quarrel with Lyman Wight in their five-year association in Wisconsin and elsewhere. Mel:  Miller went up to the territory, in the winter, with James Emmett, his guide.  Emmett was the great Mormon frontiersman. I think George Miller became almost as good as he [Emmett] was. Later on, we can talk about those exploits. Miller put the sawmills and the logging fronts on a good, sound financial basis.  By 1843, the Spring, it was time to expand the logging and milling effort, so Lyman Wight went recruiting for people to go to Black River Falls in the area. He recruited The Hawleys, Curtis's, Ballentines, Moncurs, and others who ended up in Wisconsin territory from Iowa. There they remained for more than a year, finishing the milling and the lumbering for the effort down in Nauvoo. GT:  So this is getting close to the time of the martyrdom, it sounds like, so how did how did Hawley react to that? Mel:  Early in the winter of 1843 and 1844, the federal agents for the Native Americans there, got involved and refused to let the Native Americans market their standing timber beyond the contracts they had already signed to the Mormons. In other words, by the Spring of 1844, the black pine mission was going to come to an end. GT:  So let me make sure I understand that. So it sounds like the Native Americans had some sort of a logging contract with the Mormons in Wisconsin. Mel:  That's correct, and the federal agents... GT:  Put a kibosh on that. Mel:  That's right. So the colony.....it was a typical frontier myth among the anti-Mormons that Joseph and the leadership, were going to ally with the Indian tribes, which would, as Will Bagley liked to call it, make them the war hammer, the Mormons and they would beat up on all the non-Mormons. GT:  So this was to not only stop the Indians, but to stop the Mormons, as well. It was basically to quash them both. Mel:  No, the Mormons. GT:  Just the Mormons. Mel:  Yeah. The Menominee were not going to go anywhere. They had no great power of Native Americans. Federal Indian agents just wanted to mess with the Mormons, and they were very effective at it. Check out our conversation…. Historian Melvin Johnson describes persecution against early Mormons

Following the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, brother Samuel died within a month.  Was Samuel poisoned? https://youtu.be/M8w5-Zohz6s Steve:  You know, conspiracy theorists. Okay, fine. Was he poisoned deliberately? Who knows? There's no way to know. The typical story had been that he, was [ill with] was it pneumonia or cholera or, I can't remember what. In those days, in the Midwest, in the summer months, you had malaria, you had typhus, you had cholera. I mean, that stuff was rampant. Their food sanitation was different from what we would have today. It could've been any number of things, I think. There's no way to ever know for sure now, even if we were to exhume his remains, there's not enough left to do any of that kind of study, probably. Was he poisoned deliberately by somebody? Well, it could be, but why? Maybe I have a different view of Brigham young and his colleagues than some, I'm not willing to just write Brigham Young off and call him an evil, you know, usurper. Were people out to kill the other prophet's brother William? GT:  Back to William Smith. So he came to Nauvoo [in] September of 1844. Steve:   By the end of August, early September, he was back in Nauvoo, I'm pretty sure. GT:  And Brigham ordained him as patriarch. Steve: He was called as patriarch and I presume they ordained him. I don't know, because I'm not sure that all that ritual stuff had really been solidified at that early time. I don't know. Today, of course we would always do that. Did they need to? He was already an apostle. Maybe he just needed to be designated that. I don't know. What about James Strang? Steve:  Within weeks of affiliating, William Smith was disaffiliated, and that was before Strang ever got involved, ever publicly announced polygamy. I'm not sure when he [William] got involved in it. Somebody knows those dates, I just can't remember them. William Smith was there long enough to write this hymn that was published in Strang's paper at Voree, which is near Burlington, Wisconsin. Actually, it's now part of the city limits, but it [the hymn] was an ode to Voree, and it has something like 15 verses. Check out our conversation… Here's the first 3 parts with Steve Shields! 226: Sidney's Unsung Role in Restoration (Shields) 225: Steve's Shields Own Divergent Path 224: Who Owns the Temple Lot? (Shields)

This episode we talk about two old-timey religions that you might not have heard of! First up we talk about James Strang and his Strangites. An offshoot of the Mormon church, the Strangites had some surprisingly progressive politics (for the time), and they were led by a man who seemed to have serious inferiority complex, … Continue reading "Ep 30 – Strangites and Shakers"

We're continuing our discussion of the Succession Crisis. Strang was known to translate the Voree Plates. How does that compare to Book of Mormon translation process Joseph Smith did? Michael Quinn tells his beliefs about the translation process of the Book of Mormon. https://youtu.be/ucS-FPVIdmY GT: Do you have an opinion on the Book of Mormon? Michael:  Yes, I believe it is written based on ur-text? I believe it's tribal history. The way the Old Testament was tribal history originally told around campfires and that the Book of Mormon is based on an actual ur-text, written ur-text, Gold plates. I believe those. But I don't think that everything in the published 1830 Book of Mormon derives from that ur-text, derives from that ur-text.  That's a German phrase: Ur-text meaning the original text. I don't believe that. I mean, there are things in there you can see as Joseph Smith's understanding of the Bible. You can see things in there that reflect attitudes of the people at the time. James Strang was a big rival to the Brigham Young movement. He claims to have a letter from Joseph Smith putting him in charge of the LDS Church. Dr. Michael Quinn tells why he believes the letter was a forgery. GT: So what do you think about Strang's claim? Michael: Absolute fraud. GT:  Really? Michael: Oh yes. GT: Oh Wow.  Why do you say that? Michael:  The document itself was hand-printed. GT: Okay. Michael: The signature was hand-printed. GT: Really? Michael:  Joseph never did that. No, it's an absolute fraud. GT: Absolute fraud. Michael: Yeah. GT: I know that some... Michael: But he was a charismatic fraud, which is why people followed him because Brigham Young did not come across as charismatic even though he spoke in tongues and sang in tongues. Check out our conversation… as well as our other conversations with Dr. Quinn! Both Joseph Smith & James Strang translated plates. How do they compare. What are Dr. Quinn's thoughts on Book of Mormon translation? 187: LDS Succession Crisis (Quinn) 186: Quinn on Hofmann (Quinn) 185: “The Church Makes No Distinction Between God & Mammon” (Quinn) 184: Would LDS Church Income Ever Support a Paid Ministry?(Quinn) 183: Are LDS Church Revenues really $50 Billion/Year? (Quinn) 182: Michael Quinn Discusses Deseret Hemp Company (Quinn)

We're continuing our discussion of Black History Month with Russell Stevenson.  He's the biographer of Elijah Ables, and we'll talk about the end of Elijah's life.  Did Elijah Ables affiliate with any other groups like James Strang, William Smith, or Sidney Rigdon? https://youtu.be/cGWc6FD_YBE Russell:  Going with that, we can maybe conclude that Elijah was certainly diplomatic and kind and charitable.  If you really want to go further out on a limb, more than the evidence that we have suggests, you can say that he affiliated with William Smith, the movement.  I'm not inclined to say that we have evidence to suggest that. We'll also talk about how Elijah worked on the Salt Lake Temple, but was never allowed to get his endowment.  Did he continue to try through the end of his life? Now in 1879, he does petition to receive his temple endowment.  By this point his wife has passed away.  We do have some evidence that he petitioned Brigham Young at some point, but again that's pretty late and we don't have any contemporary documentation to back that up. Check out our conversation….. (Don't forget to check out our previous conversations about Elijah Abel's early life, his mission to Canada, and his troubles in Cincinnati.)  You also might want to check out what Paul Reeve said on this topic! Photo from dedication of the Salt Lake Temple dedication in 1892 [paypal-donation]

[paypal-donation] James Strang was one of the most unlikely people to succeed following the death of Joseph Smith in 1844.  Historian John Hamer will talk more about James Strang and his group, sometimes called the Strangites. https://youtu.be/Yh22cKjY32A John:  Yeah.  Of all of the different people that could have emerged in the Succession Crisis, this is the one that would be most unexpected to anybody before Joseph Smith's death because he had been a relatively recent convert.  He had been to Nauvoo.  Strangite recollections are that he had been baptized by Joseph.  He lived in Wisconsin, and so he wasn't an insider in any significant way. But what happens fairly quickly is that he announces all sorts of new prophetic signs, callings, and things like that that, or examples.  For example, there's a new set of plates that are found by a new set of official witnesses.  There's a new translation. ... One thing he says, at the same moment that Joseph Smith is killed, an angel appeared to him and ordained him to be prophet, seer, revelator, and translator to the church.  There can only be one on the planet at a time.  So there's not a thing where Joseph Smith can just give a bunch of keys to different people and then you collect the keys or something like that.  It only can be one guy at a time and it's not because you can't—if we ran out of elders in the LDS Church, you can't have a deacon ordain some new elder, so Strang says you can't have apostles ordain a prophet because that doesn't make any sense.  You can't a lower ordain [a higher.]  Essentially the only way, according to Strang, that you could have had a successor is the same way that Joseph Smith became prophet which is through angelic ordination, or two, there is a verse in the Doctrine & Covenants that says if Joseph shall fall, he will not have any power save it be the need to appoint another in his stead.[1] So James Strang had a letter.  His interpretation of the letter is that it appointed him to be the successor, Joseph Smith's successor.  It's a little bit ambiguously worded in that way.  Also nobody who wasn't a Strangite believed the letter was genuine.  So it's a contested letter, but he used the letter also as a claim on the two fronts there:  there's angelic ordination on the one hand, and he's also been appointed the successor. We'll learn more about some golden plates that he translated. GT:  Ok.  He also had some plates.  I think there's The Book of the Law of the Lord,[2] and yesterday you talked about the Voree Plates. John:  Yes. GT:  Let's talk about those. John:  The first set of plates are the Voree Plates. GT:  Oh that was the first set. John:  Yes. GT:  Oh I didn't realize that. John:  Yes.  The first set of plates that Strang announces are the Voree Plates and it's just very interesting story.  I could talk about it for hours and hours.  But anyway the idea of it is that near Strang's house in Burlington, Wisconsin in a place that comes to be known as Voree.  There's a hill.  An angel in a vision, Strang says, told him where plates are buried.  He brings four guys to that spot.  He shows them where the angel told them.  They have shovels or whatever, and then Strang leaves. So they dig up what I told you, they believe that the earth has never been disturbed and that they actually have to get under the roots of this big old tree and things like that.  They are convinced that the thing had been buried many, many years ago before this oak tree was on top of it and that kind of thing. Anyway they dig up plates.  They are plates, though, that people physically see and it's not simply the official witnesses who see.  Thousands of people see the plates including obviously lots of non-members including the local newspaperman who is the newspaper editor of the Kenosha newspaper and he actually goes on to be the guy that invents the QWERTY typewriter keyboard.  So that guy saw them.

[paypal-donation] Yesterday was President Monson's funeral.  When an LDS President dies, the First Presidency is dissolved.  Have you ever wondered why that is the case?  Historian John Hamer and apostle Lachlan MacKay of the Community of Christ will talk about why that happens in the LDS Church.  It's a really interesting conversation as we discussion several succession claims. John:  One of the last acts that Joseph Smith does before going to Carthage is he had given another one of these special blessings to Joseph III and several of these where Joseph had been prophesied at one point or another that he would be in his father's role in being prophet, but he was what?  He was eleven? Lachlan:  Eleven or eleven and a half. John:  He's eleven, so ok.  He wasn't going to be the successor at that point.  What I argue, I think anyway, I think that the person who had the best claim at the point, in terms of both civil, and canon, which is to say church rules and law is Sidney Rigdon, who even though he's been a little on the outs, he is still actively campaigning as the vice-presidential candidate in Joseph Smith's U.S. presidential election.  So Joseph Smith then Sidney Rigdon; Sidney Rigdon is the only guy left in the First Presidency. Even though in the LDS tradition, there is this idea that the First Presidency dissolves, and then the senior most apostle always succeeds, the only reason that is the idea is because they didn't want to have Sidney Rigdon be in charge.  It doesn't say that in the Doctrine & Covenants or anything like that.  There's no canonical, there's no canon law that says anything of the kind.  The First Presidency had been a completely distinct [quorum] in the early church tradition from the Twelve. Lachlan:  There's nothing that says it dissolves. John: There's nothing that says it dissolves and also not like the First Presidency is just like three more of the Twelve or something like that.  It's a completely distinct [quorum.]  Anyway, so what I say is Sidney Rigdon is the last surviving member of the First Presidency and then according to the actual incorporation like we're talking about the Church's possession, William Marks had signed it over to Joseph Smith on behalf of the Church.  The Church is incorporated in the state of Illinois, and part of incorporation and the documents in Carthage, it says held by Joseph Smith as Trustee in Trust for the Church and my successors in the First Presidency. Because of that, when Brigham Young does take over, he doesn't create a new First Presidency; the Twelve just take over headquarters.  It's one of the reasons why he is not able to get title to these temples is because James Strang knows about that because he has a lot of these guys in his group.  They know about this incorporation ruling.  This is really complicated details, but anyway, part of the idea of it is he charges that since he is the successor to the First Presidency, he has organized a new First Presidency.  This doesn't in Brigham Young's church until 1847, so he's operating that way with the First Presidency, and so he says, “You don't have a First Presidency. I have title to the Nauvoo Temple.  You're trying to sell my temple.” GT:  James Strang created a First Presidency and said that should be the successor? John:  Yeah, he did that at that point.  But before that, I've got to dial it back.  The person who was the surviving member of the First Presidency then is Sidney Rigdon.  Sidney Rigdon gets outmaneuvered in this showdown between Brigham Young and Sidney Rigdon.  He gets kicked out of Nauvoo, or flees for his life and he goes back and reorganizes and creates a new headquarters of the church in Pittsburgh.  But at that point, he suffers one of these things that all kinds of schismatic Mormon Latter Day Saint heritage churches do which is, then they start asking themselves:  where did we go wrong? We will also talk about some of the other leaders who wanted to ...

[paypal-donation] I'm excited to start 2018 two amazing guests: a Seventy and an Apostle of the Community of Christ: John Hamer and Lachlan MacKay. I'll let them introduce themselves. Lachlan:  Sure, [I'm] Lachlan MacKay, a member of the Council of Twelve in the Community of Christ.  I oversee the northeast field in the U.S. which is Michigan and basically Kirtland to Maine to Virginia.  I have functional assignments including Community of Christ Historic Sites.  I oversee historic sites and lead the church history and sacred story team. John: In terms of the history work that I do, I primarily have studied the broader Latter-day Saint tradition churches.  Like I say that would be all manner of –ites, so the Strangites,[1] especially but also Cutlerites[2] and Hendrickites[3] and everybody else, Josephites,[4] our tradition.  I'm a member of Community of Christ.  I serve as the pastor of the downtown Toronto congregation.  I've been called to be a Seventy.  I'm a Seventy-designate.  The ordination will happen in October.[5]  I am also a past president of the John Whitmer Historical Association (JWHA), which is essentially the other –ites, or the Community of Christ's version of the Mormon History Association (MHA), those kind of things. We'll be talking a little bit about LDS myths. GT:  One of my favorite blog posts was, it's been a decade now, the Top Myths about the Community of Christ for Mormons. John:  Oh yeah, the Top 10 myths, I don't remember exactly how it was, the top 10 Mormon myths about the Community of Christ or something like that.  That one we ended up doing a couple of podcasts with that. I think we did one on Mormon Expression that was on that same topic. One of the ones for the LDS Tradition, one of the blogs posts that gets the most traction is for whatever reason, sometime in your curriculum every spring you do the Milk & Strippings story.[6]  Then suddenly this essay that I've written that has been read more times is on the Milk & Strippings story because every May or something like that it comes up for some reason.  I don't know why. We will also talk about the construction of the Kirtland Temple.  (Don't forget to check out our previous discussion with Dr. Mark Staker and Dr. Richard Bennett!)  Check out our conversation! https://youtu.be/Agt2SKt9M6U [paypal donation]   [1] Because so many churches founded by Joseph Smith have similar names, sometimes it is easier to name the groups by their next founder.  For example, the Strangites have a similar name as the mainline LDS Church.  Their church is officially known with slightly different capitalization and punctuation as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (vs. Latter-day Saints), and were founded by James Strang following an angelic visit.  We will talk more about them in a future episode. [2] Cutlerites were founded by Alpheus Cutler and are officially known as the Church of Jesus Christ. [3] Hedrickites were founded by Granville Hedrick and officially known as the Church of Christ or Church of Christ (Temple Lot.)  They are sometimes referred to as the Temple Lot Church.  We will discuss them in a future episode. [4] Josephites are better known as Community of Christ or RLDS Church.  The official name is the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  They are called Josephites after Joseph Smith III.  The Utah church is sometimes referred to as Brighamites, after Brigham Young. [5] John was ordained in October 2017. [6] The Milk Strippings story is a story in which the LDS Church claims that apostle Thomas B. Marsh was excommunicated for defending his wife.  As the story goes, his wife took extra milk for butter, known as “milk strippings.”  John wrote a post that there was more context to the story than is given in LDS Sunday School manuals.  See https://bycommonconsent.com/2009/07/01/the-milk-strippings-story-thomas-b-marsh-and-brigham-young/  

John Hamer talks about Joseph Smith successor James Strang and the impressive engravings on Strang’s Vorhee Plates. This is John’s presentation from Salt Lake City Sunstone 2017.

As a child, James Strang, set out to be a lawyer, a priest, a legislator, and a king. Bold ambitions for an American boy, but King Strang of Beaver Island met every one. In addition, he had at least 4 wives, in a plural marriage.

Comedians Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds examine the strange story of Mormon James Strang. SOURCESTOUR DATESREDBUBBLE MERCH

In 1850, James Strang was crowned king of Michigan's Beaver Island. He got the opportunity to lead after meeting Joseph Smith and converting to Mormonism. After Smith's death, Strang tried to step in as his successor. Tune in to learn what happened next. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers