One Mighty and Strong is a person of unknown iden- from the Smith–Phelps letter was included as section 85 tity who was the subject of an 1832 by Joseph in the church’s edition of the , one Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. of the church’s books of scripture. The section contin- The prophecy echoes the words and prophecy of Isaiah ues to be found in the modern LDS Church’s scripture.[4] 28:2. The One Mighty and Strong was said by Smith to Since its canonization, members of the LDS Church and be one who would “set in order the house of God” and those who have created schisms from the LDS Church arrange for the “inheritances of the [Latter Day] Saints”. have been the primary groups of Latter Day Saints who Since this prophecy was uttered, many Latter Day Saints have made claims of identifying the “one mighty and have claimed to be or to have otherwise identified the One strong”. However, persons from Latter Day Saint denom- Mighty and Strong, and many schismatic Latter Day Saint inations that have not canonized Smith’s prophecy have sects have arisen as a result of these claims. also, on occasion, made similar identifications.

1 Smith’s prophecy 3 Interpretation by the LDS Church In a letter written to William W. Phelps on November 27, 1832, transcribed a revelation that he said he received from Christ: In a 1905 statement, the First Presidency of the LDS Church—composed of Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, and Anthon H. Lund—offered two possible interpreta- [I]t shall come to pass, that I, the Lord God, tions of the prophecy. will send one mighty and strong, holding the sceptre of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, 3.1 Possibility #1: Closed prophecy eternal words; while his bowels shall be a foun- tain of truth, to set in order the house of God, First, the Presidency stated that Smith’s words may have and to arrange by lot the inheritances of the been a prophecy of what would happen if the presiding Saints, whose names are found, and the names bishop of the church, , failed to repent of their fathers, and of their children enrolled and fulfill his calling in the church: in the book of the law of God: while that man, who was called of God and appointed, that put- teth forth his hand to steady the ark of God, “It is to be observed first of all that the shall fall by the vivid shaft of lighting ... These subject of this whole letter, as also the part things I say not of myself; therefore, as the of it subsequently accepted as a revelation, re- Lord speaketh, He will also fulfill.[1][2] lates to the affairs of the Church in Missouri, the gathering of the Saints to that land and obtaining their inheritances under the law of Smith never revealed the identity of the “one mighty and consecration and stewardship; and the Prophet strong” referred to in this prophecy. [Joseph Smith] deals especially with the matter In a letter to , dated May 6, 1867, Phelps of what is to become of those who fail to re- mentioned that he believed that Smith’s prophecy refers ceive their inheritances by order or deed from to and his future arrival at Adam-ondi-Ahman.[3] the bishop. ... “It was while these conditions of rebellion, jealousy, pride, unbelief and hardness of 2 Canonization by The Church of heart prevailed among the brethren in — Jackson county, Missouri—in all of which Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Bishop Partridge participated, that the words of the revelation taken from the letter to The first Latter Day Saint denomination to canonize William W. Phelps, of the 27th of Novem- Smith’s prophecy was The Church of Jesus Christ of ber, 1832, were written. The 'man who was Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). In 1876, the excerpt called and appointed of God' to 'divide unto the

1 2 5 NOTES

Saints their inheritance'—Edward Partridge— 3.3 Contemporary interpretation in the was at that time out of order, neglecting his LDS Church own duty, and putting 'forth his hand to steady the ark'; hence, he was warned of the judg- Curriculum material published by the LDS Church for ment of God impending, and the prediction use in the Church Educational System favors the first of was made that another, 'one mighty and strong,' the 1905 First Presidency interpretations.[6] In fact, the would be sent of God to take his place, to have curriculum does not present the text of the First Presi- his bishopric—one having the spirit and power dency’s proposed second possibility. of that high office resting upon him, by which he would have power to 'set in order the house of God, and arrange by lot the inheritance of the Saints’; in other words, one who would do 4 Third interpretation: claimants the work that Bishop Edward Partridge had to the One Mighty and Strong been appointed to do, but had failed to accom- plish. ... Since the end of the nineteenth century, a number of “And inasmuch as through his repentance and individuals have proposed a third interpretation of the sacrifices and suffering, Bishop Edward Par- prophecy: that Smith predicted the coming of “One tridge undoubtedly obtained a mitigation of the Mighty and Strong”, and that such a person has been iden- threatened judgment against him of falling 'by tified. Often, those who claim to have discovered the the shaft of death, like as a tree that is smit- identity of the One Mighty and Strong identify themselves ten by the vivid shaft of lightning,' so the oc- as the fulfillment of the prophecy. casion for sending another to fill his station— 'one mighty and strong to set in order the house This interpretation assumes a much broader role of the of God, and to arrange by lot the inheritances One Mighty and Strong, extending throughout the church of the Saints’—may also be considered as hav- and beyond the confines of Jackson County, Missouri. ing passed away and the whole incident of the Such individuals generally have alleged that the LDS prophecy closed.”[5] Church is “out of order” and that the One Mighty and Strong has been sent to set it in order, as prophesied by Smith. 3.2 Possibility #2: Prophecy of a future The following chart includes individuals who have presiding bishop claimed to have identified the One Mighty and Strong:

However, the First Presidency also offered the possibil- ity that the prophecy was not closed, and that the One 4.1 Chart of claimed identifications of the Mighty and Strong would be a future presiding bishop of One Mighty and Strong the church when the Latter-day Saints return to Jackson County, Missouri. Concerning this possibility, the First Presidency stated: 5 Notes

“If, however, there are those who will still [1] Letter from Joseph Smith to William W. Phelps, 1832-11- insist that the prophecy concerning the com- 17, reprinted in “Let Every Man Learn His Duty”, Evening ing of 'one mighty and strong' is still to be re- and Morning Star, vol. 1, no. 8, pp. 121–22 (January 1833). garded as relating to the future, let the Latter- day Saints know that he will be a future bishop [2] See also reprint in Joseph Smith (B.H. Roberts ed.) of the Church who will be with the Saints in (1902). History of the Church 1:297–99. Zion, Jackson county, Missouri, when the Lord shall establish them in that land; and he will [3] Hales, Brian C (2009). “The “one mighty and strong"". be so blessed with the spirit and power of his MormonFundamentalism.com. Retrieved 14 December calling that he will be able to set in order the 2010., See footnote 15 house of God, pertaining to the department of the work under his jurisdiction; and in righ- [4] See Doctrine and Covenants 85:7. teousness and justice will 'arrange by lot the [5] “First Presidency Statement”, , 1905-11-11, inheritances of the Saints.' He will hold the reprinted as “One Mighty and Strong”, , same high and exalted station that Edward Par- vol. 10, no. 12, pp. 929–43 (October 1907). Also tridge held; for the latter was called to do just reprinted in James R. Clark (ed.) (1965–1971). Messages this kind of work—that is, to set in order the of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of house of God pertaining to settling the Saints Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft) vol. upon their inheritances.”[5] 4. 3

[6] Church Educational System (2d ed., 2001). Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual (Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) p. 186–87. [7] Ogden Kraut (1991). The One Mighty and Strong (Salt Lake City, Utah: Pioneer Press). [8] History of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 3:200–01; The Messenger, edited by Jason W. Briggs, vol. 2, p. 1 http://www.centerplace.org/history/ ch/v3ch09.htm. Missing or empty |title= (help) [9] Launius, Roger D. (1988). Joseph Smith III Pragmatic Prophet. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press. pp. 85–86. ISBN 0-252-01514-2. [10] Joseph Smith III, Letter to James C. Hambleton, February 1, 1895, Joseph Smith III Letter Book 6, p. 1, Library-Archives, Independence. [11] William W. Blair, “The One Mighty and Strong,” Saints’ Advocate, January 1880, [emphasis added]. [12] Lyle O. Wright (1963). “Origins and Development of the Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times”. (M.S. thesis: Brigham Young University). [13] “Minutes of General Conference, 1900,” Supplement to the Saints’ Herald (Independence: Herald House, 1900): 180-83. [14] Hales, Brian C. (Fall 2006), “John T. Clark: The 'One Mighty and Strong'" (PDF), Dialogue: A Journal of Mor- mon Thought 39 (3): 46–63 [15] J. Gordon Melton (1996). Encyclopedia of American Re- ligions (Detroit, Mich.: Gale) pp. 561–585. [16] Brian C. Hales (2007). Modern Polygamy and Mormon Fundamentalism: The Generations After the Manifesto (Salt Lake City, Utah: Greg Kofford Books). [17] Davidson, Staff Writer (June 28, 1988), Several Men Claim to be The `One Mighty and Strong', Salt Lake City Utah: Deseret News, retrieved April 12, 2011 [18] Ogden Kraut (1991). The One Mighty and Strong (Salt Lake City, Utah: Pioneer Press) pp. 91–99. [19] Shepard, Bill (Fall 2006). ""To Set in Order the House of God” : The Search for the Elusive “One Mighty and Strong"" (PDF). Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 39 (3): 20. As we shall see later, it is one of the ironies of Mormon history that RLDS fundamentalists of the Rem- nant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints currently believe that their president and prophet, Frederick Niels Larsen, is the one mighty and strong. [20] The Manifesto of Brian Mitchell

6 References

• Bill Shepard, "'To Set in Order the House of God': The Search for the Elusive 'One Mighty and Strong'", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 39(3): 18–45 (Fall 2006). 4 7 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

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