Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 1963-04-01 Origins and Development of the Church of the Firstborn of the Fullness of Times Lyle O. Wright Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the History Commons, Mormon Studies Commons, and the Sociology of Religion Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Wright, Lyle O., "Origins and Development of the Church of the Firstborn of the Fullness of Times" (1963). Theses and Dissertations. 5228. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/5228 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. ORIGINS development CHURCHCHUBCH FIRSTBORN FULNESS TIMES thesis submitted department history philosophy religion college religious instruction brigham young university provo utah partial fulfillment requirements degree master science lyle 0 wright 1963 PREFACE writer first developed interest subject 1959 dr russellrusselirussellr R rich gave assignment class historical development LJSLDS doctrine write term paper offshoot church jesus christ latter day saints having heard first time during summer LeBarons church Firstfirstbornborn falnessfulness times 1 being curious know author volunteered write paper group end term each memberofthemember class duplicated paper exchanged class members since writers rather large paper suggested several expanded thesis two years later 1961 upon returning brigham young univer- sity writer determined notto write thesis lebaron church since curiosity satisfied matters seemingly value attracted attention however much interest topic expressed others previous decision length reconsidered addition urging others two primary factors upon author based decision write baronlelebaron group 1 1 through study gained better under- standing reasons numerous offoffshootsshoots churchchurchocharcho became then just study specific group apparently minor importance general study apostasy LDS church typi- fied modemmodern current offshoot 2 latter day saints always critical rightly unfair treatment story church generally received hands non mormon writers 0 therefore challenge write objectively fairly group writer member authorauthorIs hope study strengthen qualifications capabilities iii iv student church history nd help him gainalbettergainalgain better appreciation betterpreparationbetter preparation handling problems church hihistorystoryosteryo accomplishmentaccomplishmentof work made possible through interest assistance many othersothersootherson my deepest apprecia- tion goes my wife helen without whose encouragement andassistahceassistance work never begun nor completed andtoandiomy family patience while task occupied my time attentionattentionolono I1 am grateful dr russellrusselibussell boR richeichelch friendlyinterestfriendly interest encouragement forbis assistance locating sources information careful evaluation work progressed drdro milton Vvo Baclaabackman jr sincere interest many helpful suggestions 0 many people contributed information specifically work I1 extend appreciation assistance t owen ao allred rulon C allred joseph thompson wendell Llo10 hansen robert T hadley noelbkoelbnoel bo pratt Ggo arlen petereit joel Ffo lebaron ervil MIemiebaronmo boronBaronlebaron guy Hho musser george spencer george briscoe claude T bronson gene Bbo bray marden carling spencer robert woW eaby ross wesley lebaronLeLeBBaroraronarom francis moM darter margarito bautista ronald Mmo jarvis anthony I1lo10 bentley ernest wo young joseph T bentley archibald Ffo bennett niel boB poulsen conway Mmo lebaron grace lebaronLeBarono I1 appreciate theassistanceassistance various members Brigbrighamharohanmhamn young university library staff help rendered ao william ngsnge lund employees LDS church Historiahistorian library 0 my thanks gotogo lafond hall checked manuscript grammatical correctnesscorrectcorrectnessonesso TABLE CONTENTS page PREFACE e 0 iii LIST TABLES vi LIST illustrationsiijjjstrations 0 vii introduction 0 0 0 1 PAETPART I1 background chapter I1 LDS ORIGINS schismatic PATTERNS 4 II11 MIGHTY STRONG 272 illliiiliIII111 fundamentalists 0 51 IV LEBARON FAMILY 8822 PART II11 CHURCH FIRSTBORN FULNESS TIMES V NEW MIGHTY STRONG NEW CHURCH 99 701 VI conversion missionaries FRANCE 0 0 1211011.01toitol VII DOCTRINES 0 0 0 0 0 135 VIII historical ANALYSIS LEBARON priesthood CLAIMS 0 155 appendices 0 1 177 SELECTED bibliography 0 257 v LIST TABLES table page 1 offshootsOff shoots church jesus christ latter day saints 16 2 succession priesthood authority ihi141 vi LIST illustrations figure page 1 genealogical chart lebaron ancestry 0 84 2 diagram organization 138 vii introduction purpose work present historyofthechurchhistory church Firstfirstbornborn falnessfulness times including information relative origin leaaleadleafa better understanding history several reasons thanthethanghe personal ones previously mentioned why history nature seems worthwhileworthwhileo first history religion story many movements suchasbuchas here considered understanding thewholewholewhoieregainedbegainedgained onlythrouldhthrough careful study parts even small branch religion church 0 second certain uniqueness themoreinthemoremone less successful establishment new church thismoderndaymodern day particularly based upon claim leaderenjoysleader enjoys revelationftomgodrevelation dron godo third dispel rumors speculation circulateaboutcirculate movementamovement kinaitkinditkind importantisfimportant documented studybestustudydybe made facts gathered made available those interestinterestedinterestedoedo fourth active proselyting engaged theetheXthexhurchhurchhurehhunchchurch Firstfirstbornborn falnessfulness times invites leasleastt tanitlycaretacitly care- ful scrutiny investigation these considerations mind determinedthatthedetermined basic approach problem historical factual without involving doctrinal analysis since seems desirable compare new movement led BaronslebaronsLe similar IDSLDS offshoot groups past first chapter summarizes movementmovementsmovementso joeljoeilebaron claims fulfill prophecy doctrine covenants 85 6767.676 7 foretells coming mighty strong chapter briefly recounting history past current claimants honorishpnorishonor included e previous study writer learned thatthelebaronsBaronslebaronsLe time affiliated thegroupregroupgroup referredtoasreferred toas funda- mentalistsmentalists therefore chapter groupgroups includeincludedodo 4 final aspect background information against church 2 under study clearly understood chapter about lebaron family activities prior organization church Firstfirstbornborn falnessfulness times supplies important part vorkworkworko background thus completed next part study con- siders many aspects new churchchurchy including history movement description doctrine practicpracticespracticesoeso since joel BaronslebaronsLe claims authority rest partially historical bases chapter analyzing subject includeincludedincludedodo although difficulties encountered obtaining information earnest attempt made accurate fair possiblepossipossiblespossibleobleo number people rendered invaluable assistance toward end while others failed supply informationinformationatinformational disposaldispodisposalsdisposalosalosaio relativelyrelativelyfew few publications aubauhmib jecteject much work based upon information derived interviews correspondence assumed readers knowledge thechurchchurch jesus christ latter day saints hence familiar terms used herein 0 however should noted terms church jesus christ latter day saints IDSLDS church used synonymously members church re- ferred latter day saints simply saints korkonMorcormonsmormons9mormonsmons 88 while w church Firstfirstbornborn falnessfulness times Firstfirstbornborn church used synonymously sake conciseness phrase church Firstfirstborefirstbornborebornbonn used alone refers entirely separate church 0 mormonism used refer theology philosophy church jesus christ latter day saints go lebaronismLeBaronism used refer theology philosophy church first born falnessfulness times neither term intendedintendedto derogatory used primarily convenience 0 Firstfirstbomersfirstbornersbomers seems acceptable term members church Firstfirstbornborn falnessfulness times since used leader joel feF lebaronlebaronoLeBarono lack better term fundamentalist fundamenta- lists apply group continued practice polygamy PARTPAETpare I1 background CHAPTERCHAPTEBI1 lodosLO DS ORIGINS AMD schismaticSCHISMTIC PATTERNS april 669 1830 church ofeeofjejesussus christ latter day saints became legal institutioninstitutionsinstitutiono actionwasaction vas taken declared propheprophetprophetandtand founder1rjosephfounder joseph snithsmithsmithpsmithy jrajrojro direct commandfromgodeonnaand god very beginning of1ts existence features church set itapartapart rather sharply botbothh oldoidoldererbrancheser branches christianity then existence andfromthefram nevernewer sectsects concurrently arising years since thenthesethen these features developed morefullyandothersnore rullyfullyothers addeaadded 0 general rule before new organization canbebroughtbrought existence basis needforitsneed establishment mastbemustbemust developed 0 priortoprior concurrent joseph smiths time crea- tion new christian churches generally begun group decided error doctrines policies church