W. Wallace Smith

William Wallace Smith (1900—1989), born November 18, 1900 in Lamoni, Iowa. He was Prophet-President of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now Community of Christ), from 1958 to 1978. Smith was the son of President Joseph Smith III and grandson of President Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. W. Wallace Smith was the third of his father's sons to succeed to the presidency of the church, assuming the presidency after the deaths of his brothers Frederick M. Smith and Israel A. Smith.

In 1958, instead of calling Lynn Smith to replace his father in the office of Presiding Patriarch, he named Roy Cheville to the office in a break with a tradition of lineal succession. Following a 1960 worldwide missionary tour, W. Wallace Smith's tenure as church president saw substantial overseas growth in the church, especially in Africa, Latin America, and the Far East. The internationalization of the church also began an era of significant doctrinal and practical changes.

Smith designated his son, Wallace B. Smith as his successor in 1976, and in 1978 he became the first president of the church to retire to "emeritus" status — all previous presidents had served until their deaths. To ensure a smooth transition, W.W. Smith read a letter of resignation shortly before his son was ordained.

References

*Richard P. Howard, "The Church Through the Years," Herald House: 1992.

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