John Murdock (Mormon)

John Murdock (July 15, 1792–December 23, 1871) was an early convert to the Latter Day Saint movement and was a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He is mentioned twice in the "Doctrine and Covenants". He was also the first mission president for the LDS Church in Australia.

Murdock was born in Kortright, New York.

Prior to joining the Latter Day Saint Church of Christ, Murdock had belonged to many churches. First he had affiliated with the Dutch Lutheran Church. He next became a Methodist. He also was for a short time part of a Baptist congregation, which he left because he did not agree with their support of Calvanist doctrines. In 1827 Murdock joined the Campbellites. [http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=a6ed9209df38b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 LDS.org - Ensign Article - Prepared for the Fulness ] ] His falling out with the Campbellites was largely due to Alexander Campbell rejecting the Holy Ghost.

Murdock was baptized a member of the Church of Christ in November 1830. At this time he lived in Geauga County, Ohio. [ [http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=7445d0640b96b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 LDS.org - Ensign Article - Kirtland’s Resolute Saints ] ]

In 1831 Murdock accompanied Hyrum Smith on a mission to Pontiac, Michigan. [ [http://www.saintswithouthalos.com/n/gaz_mi.phtml Mormon History Gazetteer for Illinois (1831–1839) ] at "Saints Without Halos"] [ [http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=d9918d00422fe010VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1 LDS.org - Liahona Article - “Some Great Thing” ] ] They had been commanded to take this general route in Doctrine and Covenants 52:8.

He served several missions for the church in the early years. After his first wife (Julia Clapp Murdock) died, Joseph Smith, Jr. and his wife Emma adopted Murdock's newborn twins, Joseph and Julia. [ [http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=024644f8f206c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=cd7b46581c79b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 LDS.org - New Era Article - The Greatness of Joseph Smith and His Remarkable Visions ] ]

In Doctrine and Covenants 99:1 John Murdock is commanded to go to the Eastern United States and declare the gospel "from house to house, from village to village and from city to city."

Murdock served in Zion's Camp. Before he joined Zion's Camp he was one of the elders who attempted to recruit people to join it. For example on March 17th, 1834 he was at a conference at Avon, New York trying to get the local members of the Church of Jesus Christ to join the Zion's Camp effort. [ [http://www.saintswithouthalos.com/n/gaz_ny.phtml#ml Mormon History Gazetteer for New York (1831–1839) ] at "Saints Without Halos"] He was assigned to preside over the church in Springville at a conference in 1835. [ [http://www.saintswithouthalos.com/n/gaz_pa.phtml Mormon History Gazateer for Pennsylvania (1831–1839) ] at "Saints Without Halos"]

Affter Zion's Camp Murdock also served on the high councils in Far West and Salt Lake City, Utah. He also served as a bishop in Nauvoo and Salt Lake City.

In 1851, Murdock went to Australia as the first Latter-day Saint missionary sent to Australia since William Barratt in 1840. [ [http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=1f8d1f26d596b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 LDS.org - Ensign Article - Did Not Our Heart Burn Within Us? ] ] Murdock was accompanied on this mission by Charles Wandell. They first preached in Sydney and also traveled to the immediate vicinity of the area. He gave his first sermon in Australia on 2 November 1851 at the site of the Old Sydney Race Course. [ [http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=d96205481ae6b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 LDS.org - Ensign Article - News of the Church ] ]

His son John R. Murdock led more Down and Back Companies than anyone else.

Murdock died in Beaver, Utah.

Notes

References

*Deseret News Church Almanac, 2005 ed., p. 291.
*Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History, p. 804 "John Murdock" art. by Ostler, Craig J.
* [http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=aed2dbdcc370c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 LDS.org - Ensign Article - Australia’s Pioneer Saints]