- Pure Church of Christ
The Pure Church of Christ was organized in
1831 in Kirtland,Ohio by Wycam Clark, Northrop Sweet and four others who claimed thatJoseph Smith, Jr. was afalse prophet . They had a few meetings and soon disbanded. According speeches made byGeorge A. Smith that were recorded in the LDSJournal of Discourses , this church never had more than six members. [Black, Susan Easton. "Who's Who in the Doctrine and Covenants" (Salt Lake City, Utah:Bookcraft , 1997) p. 311]The Pure Church of Christ is the first known schismatic organization to emerge from the
Latter Day Saint movement .According to
George A. Smith , Wyman Clark was baptized about the same time asSidney Rigdon . He, another follower ofJoseph Smith, Jr. named Northrop Sweet and four unnamed others were responsible for the creation of the “Pure Church of Chris” At the time of the creation of the “Pure Church of Christ” in Kirtland, a society that had undertaken to have a community of property. A number of people located on a farm owned byIsaac Morley had been baptized, but had not yet been instructed in relation to their duties. These people claimed that a spirit entered into them. Some clamed to see angels, and letters would come down from heaven. [ Shields, Steve L., Divergent Paths of the Restoration (1982), p. 21.]Upon hearing of these “Event”
Joseph Smith, Jr. came to Kirtland, in order to teach these Saints that they were in error. When Joseph attempted to instruct these Saints in relation to the true Spirit, and the manner of determining the one from the other, in a short time a number of those who had been influenced by those manifestations, apostatized. Among the number was Wycom Clark who claimed he received a revelation that he was to be the prophet and that he was the true revelator. Clark organized the "Pure Church of Christ," and commenced having meetings, and preaching. [Journal of Discourses, v. 11, p. 4]References
Shields, Steve L., Divergent Paths of the Restoration (1982), p. 21.
Bringhurst, Newell G. and John C. Hamer, eds. Scattering of the Saints: Schism within Mormonism (2007), p. 1.
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