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Home , Standing High Council

Lesson 5 The Prophets of the

Key Words The office of prophet is an old as the history of God's dealing with the children of Adam. While God Revelation can and does speak to individuals for their benefit, He Doctrine used prophets to speak to large groups and to Authority unbelievers. A designated prophet allowed for a single Covenants voice to be heard in matters that concerned the nation or Prophet the church. This ministry was critical for the spiritual survival of the people. In the Restoration, the Lord has established the office of prophet and . Through this ministry the Lord has given the church needed Scriptures for this instruction and leadership. Only a few men have held the position of Prophet Lesson and President of the High Priesthood. They are an integral part of the history of the Doctrine and D&C43:1-2 Covenants, because the Lord gives direction to the D&Cl04:42 whole church through this office. D&C19:1 In this lesson their lives will be briefly reviewed. 1Samuel9:9 It may be controversial to some, but all of the prophets Genesis 6:33-38 of the Restoration will be considered. Some Mosiah5:76 Restorationists would object to the use of prophet when speaking about the two presidents of the . They, in fact, seldom if ever have used the term prophet when describing themselves. They have been known as presidents of the church. Nevertheless, I have chosen to include their biographies because they are part of the Doctrine and Covenants that has developed through the Reorganization. I have not chosen to talk about those men who have been ordained as Prophets and Presidents in newer Restoration churches or in other churches of the Restoration. These are stories outside of the realm of this discussion. Some of their story will be covered in a later chapter on the D&C in other groups of the Restoration.

Page -25- There are a few scriptures, office of Prophet has this same primarily from the D&C, that are responsibility. The revelation also teaches important to review. They form the that the prophetic role also includes the foundation from which one may duties of seer, revelator, translator and a understand the role and function of a prophet. prophet as it applies to the Restoration. Seer is a term that is not used In the Restoration, there may be much, but it was used in Old Testament many prophets. A prophet is someone to describe a prophet (1 Samuel 9:9). with the testimony of Jesus (Revelation Enoch was called a seer because he could 19:10). He or she may receive insight see things in the spiritual realm and from the Lord on current or future things that could not be seen with the events. Any believer in Jesus has the natural eyes which were true (Genesis privilege of receiving revelation from 6:33-38). God in answer to his or her prayers and When the topic was raised by seeking. None of these are a priesthood Ammon. In Mosiah 5:76 he called it a office. high gift and went on to say, "A seer is The office of Prophet is a function greater than a prophet" (Mosiah 5:77). of priesthood and has defined roles. The His explanation opens this gift up to prophetic office is know by several examination. different names. These are Prophet, President of the Church and President of And Ammon said, that a the High Priesthood. seer is a revelator, and a In a revelation given on March 28, prophet also; and a gift 1835, the office of Prophet was described: which is greater, can no man have, except he should And again, the duty of the possess the power of God, president of the office of the which no man can; yet a high priesthood is to man may have great power preside over the whole given him from God. But a church, and to be like unto seer can know of things Moses. Behold, here is which have past, and also of wisdom, yea, to be a seer, a things which are to come; revelator, a translator, and a And by them shall all things prophet; having all the gifts be revealed, or rather, shall of God which he bestows secret things be made upon the head of the church manifest, and hidden things (D&C 104:42) shall come to light, and things which are not Moses delivered the word of the known, shall be made Lord to his people and he lead them and known by them; And also, sought to persuade them to do well. Te things shall be made known

Page -26- by them, which otherwise the church. The prophet is "appointed to could not be known this gift" by God. The gift is his unless it (Mosiah 5:77-80). is lost by transgression. In the case of transgression, the retiring prophet is only Prophecy is the revelation of the able to name a successor, no other power Lord's will. A seer is able to see and is granted to him. understand the things of the spiritual If the church gives heed to the realm. A revelator expands the prophetic word of God delivered through the gift to the ability to see things yet to come designated prophet, the Lord promises and to reveal secrets and hidden things. many benefits to the church. The Associated with the role of the converse would also be true in the event prophet is the gift to translate. King of disregarding the word of the Lord. Mosiah, the one being described by The prophet is the servant of the Ammon, and had the Lord for the benefit of the Saints. If he blessing of a translating device. Through falls, the Lord makes provision for a this gift came the and successor. parts of the Doctrine and Covenants. The lives of the eight men listed In the Latter Day, these gifts were below, the men who have recorded most significantly manifested in the messages from the Lord to the church in ministry of Joseph Smith and to some the D&C, are in the Lord's hands. degree, in Joseph III. Mosiah 5:81 summarizes the JOSEPH SMITH JR. ministry of the prophetic role when Ammon said, "Thus god has provided a He was born on December 23, 1805 means that man, through faith, might to parents, Joseph and Lucy Mack Smith, work mighty miracles; therefore, he in Sharon, Vermont. Joseph was the fifth becometh a great benefit to his fellow child of 11. beings." In 1815 the family moved to the A true prophet of God is also Palmyra, NY area. Joseph was living with given, as a result of his presiding role his parents when he had his first visions over the high priesthood and the whole (1820 and 1823) and received the Book of church, all the gifts "that there may be a Mormon plates (1827). head" (D&C 46:8a). Joseph married Emma Hale on In the early church, the prophetic January 18, 1827 27, 1847. They had role of the prophet Joseph was challenged several children and lost some children in at least three times (see Lesson 3). Out of infancy. They also had some adopted the third challenge came the word of the children. Oldest surviving child was Lord known as Section 43. Joseph III (born on November 6, 1832). The opening verses of this section The couple moved frequently because of teach us that there is to be only one the needs of the church. Joseph died on prophet to be the Lord's spokesman for June 27, 1844 in Carthage, IL where he

Page -27- was attacked by a mob and shot to death elected as Justice of the Peace for in the jail while being held on a warrant. Hancock County. Joseph Smith Jr received more He married Emmeline "Emma" Griswold, revelations for the D&C than any other who died March 25, 1869. His second prophet. There are 107 of Joseph's wife was Bertha Madison on November revelations in the modern D&C. This 12, 1869. She died October 19, 1896. He makes sense because he was the one married a third time on January 12, 1898 through which the restoring work was to Ada Clark. accomplished. In 1853 began to understand that After his death, Joseph Smith III he must have a role in the "Mormon" succeeded him, but only after 16 years Church. He described a number of had passed. spiritual experiences. It was clear that he must choose between the business world JOSEPH SMITH III and fame or living without worldly renown among a quiet and peaceful He was born November 6, 1832 in people. He chose the latter. He was Kirtland, OH in the living area above the directed not to go to Utah, "Because the Newell K. Whitney store where his light in which you stand is greater than parents were residing. theirs." After his father died, he lived with He felt led to join with the his mother and three brothers in Nauvoo, Reorganization. Representatives from IL. His father designated and blessed that group had visited him in 1856. In Young Joseph to be his successor on at 1859 he resolved to contact the least four occasions with multiple Reorganization and met with William witnesses: Marks, Israel Rogers and W. W. Blair in March 1860. 1. Liberty Jail in 1838 Marks said to him, "We have had 2. The Red Brick store in Nauvoo enough of man-made prophets." When (January 1844?) . he attended the Amboy, IL conference of 3. In a public meeting in the grove east of the Reorganization April 6, 1860 he was the Nauvoo Temple. An estimated 3000 received as President of the High people were present at this meeting. Priesthood. 4. The Mansion House, home of the Under his leadership the church Smith's in Nauvoo, June 24, 1844. headquarters moved from Nauvoo to Plano, Ill (1865), to Lamoni, Iowa (1881) Joseph studied law as a young and to Independence, Mo in 1906. man with a local (Nauvoo) lawyer and He presided over the Reorganized with a lawyer in Canton, IL (1855). He Church from April 6, 1860 until his death also worked for the Canton Postmaster on December 10, 1914. He served as and farmed just outside of Nauvoo with Prophet longer than any other man in the his brother, Frederick. He was twice Reorganization.

Page -28- Through him, sixteen revelations On March 14, 1908 he married came to the church. Nina Grenawalt. She died after being weakened by a severe heart attack a few FREDERICK M. SMITH months after Israel's ordination to the Presidency of the High Priesthood. Frederick Madison Smith was born Brother Smith worked as the on January 21, 1874 in Plano, Ill. He was assistant editor of the Saints' Herald, baptized on July 20, 1883. 1908-1914. During the final year or so of He attended the Iowa City his father's life, Israel stayed by him and Academy and the University of Iowa. He prepared his memoirs for publication. was the first graduate of Graceland He was ordained to the office of College which he first attended in 1898. High Priest (April 11, 1915) and was He gained an Masters Degree in 1911 at made a member of the Independence the University of Kansas and a PhD in Stake High Council. He became was 1916 at Clark University. ordained a bishop on July 4, 1920 Smith married Ruth Lyman Cobb ordained a Bishop and a counselor to the in 1897. He taught mathematics at Presiding Bishop and remained in that Graceland College for a year, but spent office until 1925. He was ordained to the most of his life in the employ of the Standing High Council in October 1922 Reorganized Church. and served until 1942. On July 12, 1897 he was ordained He served as Church Librarian to the office of elder. He was ordained as (December 1903-April 1904), was on the a counselor in the First Presidency on Board of Auditors, managing editor of April 18, 1902. He became President of the Saints' Herald and editor of Zion's the High Priesthood on May 5, 1915. Ensign. He was the General Secretary of Before his death on March 20, the Church from 1929 until 1940. 1946, he placed six revelations in the On April 14, 1940, he was ordained a D&C. counselor as part of the First Presidency and served there until he was ordained as ISRAEL A. SMITH President of the High Priesthood on April 7, 1946. Israel Alexander Smith was born In addition to his church work, February 2, 1876 in Plano, Ill. He was Smith served in the Iowa State named after the first bishop of the church, Legislature 1911-13. He worked as an Israel L. Rogers and his uncle Alexander attorney in Iowa and Missouri. In 1943 he Smith. was appointed a member of the Missouri He was baptized June 25, 1886 by Constitutional Convention. Elder H. A. Stebbins. After high school he He died from injuries sustained in attended Graceland College from an automobile accident which occurred 1898-1900. He earned a BA of Law from on June 14, 1958. Lincoln Jefferson University. Five revelations in the Doctrine

Page -29- and Covenants came through him. served as Naval Flight Surgeon from1955-1958. After the Navy, he W. WALLACE SMITH attended a residency in Ophthalmology and opened an practice in Independence, William Wallace Smith, was born Missouri in 1962. November 18, 1900 in Lamoni, Iowa. He He married Anne M. McCullough, graduated from William Chrisman High a registered nurse. They had three girls, School in 1919. He attended Graceland Caroline, Julie and Laurie. College, the University of Missouri - Brother Smith served in several Columbia. different priesthood offices. He was He was ordained as an Elder in ordained an Aaronic Priest (1945), an September, 1928 and an Apostle April 8, Elder (1946) and a High Priest (1965). He 1947. He was ordained as a Counselor in was ordained as President of the High the First Presidency on April 4, 1950. He Priesthood and President of the church in was ordained as President of the High (1978). Priesthood on October 6, 1958. Before he was ordained as the He married Rosamond Bunnell on President and Prophet of the church, he November 12, 1924. served in many other ministerial During his tenure as Prophet, eight capacities. In Center Stake, he was a revelations were added to the Doctrine counselor to the Stake President, a and Covenants. He is best remembered as counselor to the Stake Bishop and as an the President of the Church that led the assistant pastor in several different church into a huge expansion in congregations. He was also a member of international missions. He resigned from the Standing High Council of the Church. the office of President of the Church in He held the office of President of 1978 and died on August 4, 1989. the Church from 1978 until 1996 when he stepped down and was named President WALLACE B. SMITH Emeritus. He spent some time as Chairman of the World Hunger Wallace Bunnell Smith was born Committee. on July 29, 1929 in Independence, Mo. He At the time of his resignation in is the only son of W. Wallace Smith. 1996, he named Grant W. McMurray as Graduated high school in his successor. Portland, Oregon in 1946. He attended Graceland College and the University of GRANT W. MCMURRAY Portland (Oregon). He was trained to be a physician at the University of Kansas Grant W. McMurray is descended Medical School (1954) Medical Doctor. from W. R. Smith (his great-grandfather), He served an internship at Intern who joined the Reorganization in 1901. at Charity Hospital of New Orleans Brother Smith was converted through the 1954-1955. He joined the U.S. Navy and efforts of two Reorganized elders, G. C.

Page -30- and S. W. Tomlinson. Smith was ordained World Church Secretary and Executive a priest in 1902. Assistant to the First Presidency McMurray' s parents were (1982-1992). He was called to be a estranged in his childhood. His father, counselor in the First Presidency in 1992. name unknown, is reported to have been At the 1996 World Conference he was a church appointee and later an alcoholic. named the successor to Wallace B. Smith His mother was Norine Sperry. and ordained as President of the Church. Brother McMurray was born in He has also served on the July 1947 in Toronto, Canada. He moved Executive Council of the Mormon History with his mother and sister to Association, on the Board of Editors of Independence, Missouri in 1959 the Journal of Mormon History and was a secondary to family difficulties. He was past president of the John Whitmer later made a naturalized U. S. citizen Historical Association. He married Joyce Lynette Lorance Grant McMurray resigned from and had two children Jeffrey and Brian. the leadership of Community of Christ McMurray attened high school at beginning November 29, 2004. The two William Chrisman High School in remaining members of the First Independence, Missouri. He attended Presidency (Kenneth N. Robinson and Graceland and graduated in 1969 with Peter A. Judd) presided over the church B.A. in religion. He earned an M.Div. until the Special Conference that took from St Paul School of Theology in place in June 2005, during which Stephen Kansas City, Missouri in May 1975. He M. Veazey was ordained to the office of became certified in Archival prophet/ president of the church. Administration from University of Denver. STEPHEN M. VEAZEY He was ordained as a Deacon and later to the Melchesidec priesthood. He [Copied from communityofchrist.org] attended Walnut Gardens Congregation, June 2005 to present (July 13, 2014). serving in pastoral leadership, worship planning and youth ministries. He also Stephen M. Veazey is president of served on the Blue Valley Stake High Community of Christ. Prior to his Council. ordination on June 3, 2005, he served as a He held a number of positions member of the Council of Twelve including Assistant to the Director of Apostles, the leading missionary quorum Division of Program Planning as part of of Community of Christ. He is the eighth theological studies (May 1971-72) president of the church and the second graduate intern, part time research who is not a direct descendant of church assistant Department of History at founder Joseph Smith Jr. Auditorium (1972-May 1973), Church He was ordained as president of Archivist (May 21, 1973-1976), Assistant seventy at the 1988 World Conference Commissioner of History (1976-1982), and as an apostle at the 1992 World

Page -31- Conference. In April 2002, Steve was set Steve was an executive minister to apart as president of the Council of the Fremont Congregation in California, Twelve and was the director of Field and was in charge of a missionary Ministries. His responsibilities also development project for the San Francisco included Church Planting Ministries and Bay Stake. Young Adult and Campus Ministries. Steve's other church activities His past assignments include include serving as young adult minister missionary and administrative work in to the Pacific Northwest Region; director the Southern USA Mission Field; the of youth camps and seminars; field Africa/East Central Field; the Ontario, associate for a young adult campus South Central, and East Central Regions; ministries office; presiding elder; and apostle for SPECTACULAR; Outreach counselor to the pastor in Paris, Ministries commissioner; the North Tennessee. Central Region; Advanced Leadership Studies at International Headquarters; and African American Ministries. Born in Tennessee, he received a bachelor of science in biology from the University of Tennessee, and a master of arts in religion from Park College, Parkville, Missouri.

Questions for Discussion

1. What is the definition of the spirit of prophecy, found in the New Testament?

2. How many prophet/presidents of the church have sections in the D&C that has come out of the Reorganization?

3. According to scripture, to what roles was Joseph Smith, Jr called?

4. What is a seer?

5. What is a revelator?

6. What is the gift of translation given to a seer/prophet?

7. Who was the first man called to be president of the church and was not a direct descendant of Joseph Smith Jr.?

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