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Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
Encyclopedia
The Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite) is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement
headquartered in Independence
, Missouri
. This church derives its epithet from its founder, Alpheus Cutler
, a member of the Nauvoo
High Council and of Joseph Smith
's secretive Council of Fifty
. Cutler justified his establishment of an independent church organization by asserting that God had "rejected" Smith's organization—but not his priesthood—following his death, but that Smith had named him to a singular "Quorum of Seven" in anticipation of this event, with a unique prerogative to reorganize the church that nobody beyond this group possessed. Hence, his organization claims to be the only legitimate Latter Day Saint church in the world today. Currently, it has only one branch, located in Independence. The Cutlerite church retains an endowment
ceremony believed to date to the Nauvoo
period, practices the United Order of Enoch
, and accepts Baptism for the Dead
, but not eternal marriage or polygamy
.
by apostle David W. Patten
. He attended the School of the Prophets
in Kirtland, Ohio
, and assisted in the construction of the Kirtland Temple
there. In 1838, during the dedication of cornerstones for the (never-built) Far West Temple, Cutler was named by Smith as "chief architect and master workman of all God's holy houses". He was later appointed a member of the Nauvoo Temple
construction committee, after enduring the explusion of the Latter Day Saints from Missouri
. While in Nauvoo
, he served on the High Council, and was named to Joseph Smith's Council of Fifty. Prior to Smith's murder in 1844, Cutler was called on a mission to the "Lamanites" (as Native Americans
were often called by the Saints). However, he had not yet departed when Joseph Smith was assassinated
on 27 June at the jail
in Carthage, Illinois.
Smith's death produced a profound leadership crisis in his movement, with members torn between competing claimnants for Joseph's prophetic mantle. These included Smith's Quorum of the Twelve
, led by Brigham Young
; James Strang
, a newly-baptized convert from Wisconsin
; and Sidney Rigdon
, who had served as Joseph Smith's "First Counselor". At first, Cutler threw in his lot with the Twelve. He continued to work on the Nauvoo Temple, where he was allegedly "sealed" to his spouse Lois on 14 February 1846, having received his endowment on 12 October 1843, prior to Smith's death. LDS church records indicate that Cutler was sealed to six other women during this timeframe, but members of his church adamantly deny this or any assertion that Cutler—or Joseph Smith, for that matter—approved of or practiced plural marriage. Cutler would later insist that the temple had not been finished by the "sufficient time" given in the revelation authorizing its construction; this proved pivotal for his own claims to legitimacy when he chose to start his own church organization.
, Nebraska
in 1846, and was appointed presiding member of the municipal High Council on 9 August of that year. Barely one month later, he was asked to find a new location for a settlement; on 11 September, he selected the site that would become Winter Quarters.
Sometime prior to 1849, Alpheus Cutler made a decision to withdraw from the main church body under the Twelve, and go his own way. In the fall of 1847, Brigham Young had sanctioned his request to conduct the mission work among the Indians to which Joseph Smith had assigned him, and Cutler had commenced his efforts with nearby tribes. All seemed well at first. However, the arrival of apostle Orson Hyde
at nearby Kanesville, Iowa in early 1848 changed the situation. Cutler became the subject of lurid rumors concerning his Indian mission, with spurious reports indicating that he had been elected as the "Generalissimo" of a union of "thirty-seven nations". Further tales of alleged disloyalty to the Twelve by Cutler among the "Lamanites" fueled the fire; a visit by Ezra T. Benson
, George A. Smith
and others to Cutler's mission only partially calmed the situation. Although Brigham Young wrote to Cutler, offering him aid to move west, a house in Salt Lake City and a warm welcome once he arrived, the "Old Fox" (as Cutler was affectionately called) refused to go.
Hyde ultimately became convinced that Cutler considered himself to be a greater authority than the council over which he (Hyde) presided, and ordered his mission suspended. Insisting that Cutler had become an enemy to Young's organization, the Kanesville High Council excommunicated
him on 20 April 1851. Brigham labored to bring Cutler back into the fold, writing of an ardent desire to see his old friend and promising him protection against any enemies he might have in the church. Even as late as 1856, long after Cutler had founded his own organization, Young indicated to LDS General Authorities
that he would forgive everything if Cutler would only come to Utah.
s and government authorities, Cutler and his followers relocated to Manti, Iowa, in the southwestern part of that state. On 19 September 1853 Cutler organized The Church of Jesus Christ, claiming that he had seen a special celestial sign (two crescent-moons with their backs together) which Joseph Smith had allegedly told him to wait for before commencing this "reorganization" of the church. From the very beginning, Cutler claimed that Joseph Smith's church had been "rejected" by God for its alleged "trangrassions", and that only he possessed the power to reorganize it. Thus, said he, his new organization was the sole legitimate continuance of Joseph Smith's work.
According to Cutler, the misdeed that brought about the rejection of Joseph Smith's church was its failure to complete the Nauvoo temple within the "sufficient time" mentioned in Doctrine and Covenants 124:31-32; Joseph Smith's church had accordingly ceased to exist as a legitimate entity. This did not mean that Smith's restored priesthood had been withdrawn from the earth, said Cutler, for he viewed the church and the priesthood as two separate things. While the former had been rejected, said he, the latter had not, and now remained solely with him as the seventh and final member of a furtive "Quorum of Seven" appointed by Joseph Smith to carry on his authority independently of the rejected church. All previous members of this quorum had died or apostatized, said Cutler; hence, he and he alone possessed power to "reorganize" Smith's church.
While in Manti, the Cutlerite church attained its highest membership figure: 183 persons. The church endeavored to establish a United Order in Manti, but this attempt failed. Furthermore, Manti was being visited during this period by missionaries from the Reorganized Church
, a rival organization that accepted the leadership of Joseph Smith's eldest son, Joseph Smith III
. Many Cutlerites chose to accept "young Joseph", and joined his organization; among them was Cutler's son, Thaddeus. Shortly after Cutler's death on 10 August 1864, those members of his church who had remained loyal to him relocated to Clitherall
, Minnesota
, in response to an alleged vision. RLDS evangelists followed the Cutlerites to their new home and culled many more from their ranks, ultimately leaving Cutler's church with a mere three elders and a few members. The remaining Cutlerites refused to give up, however, constructing a new church building in Clitherall and successfully establishing a church corporation in 1912 to effect the ideals of Joseph Smith's United Order.
and were gradually joined by nearly all of the other members. The Cutlerite settlement in Clitherall was ultimately abandoned, though the meetinghouse and some of the homes remain church property to this day. Schisms rent the dimunitive group in 1953 and 1980; the former began as a dispute over succession in the presidency following the death of Emery Fletcher in 1953. The Minnesota congregation did not agree with the subsequent succession of Erle Whiting to the office of Church President, and selected Clyde Fletcher as their leader, instead. Clyde Fletcher's organization, called the True Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
, remained identical to its Independence counterpart in all respects except for its leadership and ceased to exist upon Fletcher's death in 1969, which healed the schism.
The 1980 schism came about when the church rejected the claims of former member Eugene O. Walton, who claimed to be "The One Mighty and Strong
" prophesied by Joseph Smith. Walton left that year and founded the Restored Church of Jesus Christ
, which differs substantially with its parent organization on several points of doctrine.
The Cutlerites do not conduct missionary work or actively solicit converts, because they believe that God rejected the "Gentile
s" following the death of Joseph Smith, and thus there can be no more active missionary work among them (as in the LDS and other Latter Day Saint churches). Membership was listed at 22 in 1957, and has declined further since then. The current church president (as of 2011) is Vernon Whiting.
This idea plays a very important role in Cutlerite conceptions of the Latter Day Saint movement, especially in the period immediately prior to and following the murder of Joseph Smith. Cutlerites point to Doctrine and Covenants 124:31-32 (LDS), which commands the building of a temple in Nauvoo, and also refers to a "sufficient time" being granted for its construction, followed by the threat of being "rejected as a church, with your dead" if the structure is not completed within the allotted period. While other Mormon factions interpret this passage in varying ways, Cutlerites believe it indicates that if the Nauvoo Temple were not finished within a specific time (which seems never to have been identified with any specific date), then the organization effected by Joseph Smith on April 6, 1830 would be "rejected," and thus cease to be valid in the sight of God. Since the Cutlerites assert that the Nauvoo Temple was never truly completed—an allegation contested by the LDS and most other Mormon factions—they allege that the Latter Day Saint church existing from 1830 to 1844 was indeed "rejected" by God.
However, Cutler's followers maintain, the demise of Smith's church did not entail the demise of his priesthood. Foreseeing this development, Smith had provided a means for selected priesthood holders to reorganize his church at an appropriate future time: a "Quorum of Seven." Alpheus Cutler maintained that he was the seventh member of this order; he only identified one other alleged colleague: John Smith, uncle of Joseph Smith, whom he said was the sixth. All of the others, said Cutler, had either died or apostatized (including John Smith); thus, he was the only person still possessing authority from Joseph Smith to reconstitute the church. Some have alleged that this Quorum of Seven might have existed as a subcommittee within the Council of Fifty, but the Cutlerites have never advanced any such interpretation or otherwise addressed that particular subject.
. They endeavor to replicate, as far as possible, the ideal of "All Things Common" taught in the early Latter Day Saint church. This replaces the law of tithing
taught by most other Mormon factions, and participation is required of all members. Cutlerites do not believe that Joseph Smith ever authored the 119th section of the Doctrine and Covenants (LDS), which mandates tithing, claiming that it was never presented to the membership until after Smith's death.
As with the LDS ordinances, these ceremonies (and the rooms in which they are performed) are considered especially sacred, and are not open to, or shared with, the public. In contrast with the LDS church, which allows new members to receive their endowment one year after baptism, Cutlerites generally wait many years before receiving these ordinances. The Cutlerite church also practices Baptism for the Dead, but not eternal marriage.
, the Book of Mormon
, and the 1846 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants
. The latter work includes the "Lectures on Faith
," which Cutlerites regard as Scripture, as well as the revelations on Baptism for the Dead. The Pearl of Great Price
is not part of Cutlerite Scripture, save that portion of it that forms a portion of the Inspired Version of the Bible (the Book of Moses
and Joseph Smith-Matthew).
The Book of Abraham
is rejected as Scripture, as are the LDS concepts of Eternal Progression (whereby God was once a man, and man may become a god), plural marriage and eternal marriage. Cutlerite concepts of the Godhead mirror those presented in the Lectures on Faith. The first vision
of Joseph Smith is accepted as authentic, though not canonized as Scripture. The Articles of Faith contained in the LDS Pearl of Great Price are not officially canonized (as in the LDS Church), though they do reflect basic Cutlerite beliefs.
Central America
as the most likely geographical location for the lands depicted in the Book of Mormon, Cutlerites insist that these were primarily in North America
, particularly in the United States
.
s" (non-Native Americans living in America and the world) had rejected Smith's gospel, and thus there was to be no more preaching to them. This does not mean that Cutlerites do not welcome visitors. They simply do not believe in going out to convert others; they feel that God will lead those who are truly interested to them. While Cutlerites do not discourage new members from joining them, they point out the high expectations enjoined by their ideals, and the seriousness of the baptismal commitment.
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
headquartered in Independence
Independence, Missouri
Independence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. This church derives its epithet from its founder, Alpheus Cutler
Alpheus Cutler
Alpheus Cutler was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement who served in several church positions under Mormon founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
, a member of the Nauvoo
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
High Council and of Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith was founder of what later became known as the Latter Day Saint movement or Mormons.Joseph Smith may also refer to:-Latter Day Saints:* Joseph Smith, Sr. , father of Joseph Smith...
's secretive Council of Fifty
Council of Fifty
The Council of Fifty was a Latter Day Saint organization established by Joseph Smith, Jr...
. Cutler justified his establishment of an independent church organization by asserting that God had "rejected" Smith's organization—but not his priesthood—following his death, but that Smith had named him to a singular "Quorum of Seven" in anticipation of this event, with a unique prerogative to reorganize the church that nobody beyond this group possessed. Hence, his organization claims to be the only legitimate Latter Day Saint church in the world today. Currently, it has only one branch, located in Independence. The Cutlerite church retains an endowment
Endowment (Latter Day Saints)
In the theology of the Latter Day Saint movement, an endowment refers to a gift of "power from on high", typically associated with Latter Day Saint temples. The purpose and meaning of the endowment varied during the life of movement founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
ceremony believed to date to the Nauvoo
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
period, practices the United Order of Enoch
United Order
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the United Order was one of several 19th century church collectivist programs. Early versions of the Order beginning in 1831 attempted to implement the Law of Consecration, a form of Christian communism, modeled after the New Testament church which had "all things...
, and accepts Baptism for the Dead
Baptism for the dead
Baptism for the dead, vicarious baptism or proxy baptism is the religious practice of baptizing a living person on behalf of one who is dead, with the living person acting as the deceased person's proxy...
, but not eternal marriage or polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
.
Alpheus Cutler
Alpheus Cutler was a Latter Day Saint leader and contemporary of Joseph Smith, Jr. who converted to Smith's Church of Christ in January 1833, being baptized in western New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
by apostle David W. Patten
David W. Patten
David Wyman Patten was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...
. He attended the School of the Prophets
School of the Prophets
In Mormonism, the School of the Prophets was a select group of early Latter Day Saint leaders who began meeting on January 23, 1833 in Kirtland, Ohio under the direction of Mormon prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. for both theological and secular learning...
in Kirtland, Ohio
Kirtland, Ohio
Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census. Kirtland is famous for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Origins of Kirtland:...
, and assisted in the construction of the Kirtland Temple
Kirtland Temple
The Kirtland Temple is a National Historic Landmark in Kirtland, Ohio, USA, on the eastern edge of the Cleveland metropolitan area. Owned and operated by the Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , the house of worship was the first temple to be...
there. In 1838, during the dedication of cornerstones for the (never-built) Far West Temple, Cutler was named by Smith as "chief architect and master workman of all God's holy houses". He was later appointed a member of the Nauvoo Temple
Nauvoo Temple
The Nauvoo Temple was the second temple constructed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, commonly known as the Mormons. The church's first temple was completed in Kirtland, Ohio, United States in 1836. When the main body of the church was forced out of Nauvoo, Illinois in the...
construction committee, after enduring the explusion of the Latter Day Saints from Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. While in Nauvoo
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
, he served on the High Council, and was named to Joseph Smith's Council of Fifty. Prior to Smith's murder in 1844, Cutler was called on a mission to the "Lamanites" (as Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
were often called by the Saints). However, he had not yet departed when Joseph Smith was assassinated
Death of Joseph Smith, Jr.
The death of Joseph Smith, Jr. on June 27, 1844 marked a turning point for the Latter Day Saint movement, of which Smith was the founder and leader. When he was attacked and killed by a mob, Smith was the mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois, and running for President of the United States...
on 27 June at the jail
Carthage Jail
Carthage Jail, located in Carthage, Illinois, was the location of the death of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, and his brother Hyrum by a mob of approximately 150 men. Friends John Taylor and Willard Richards were also members of the incarcerated party, but were not...
in Carthage, Illinois.
Smith's death produced a profound leadership crisis in his movement, with members torn between competing claimnants for Joseph's prophetic mantle. These included Smith's Quorum of the Twelve
Quorum of the Twelve
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Quorum of the Twelve was one of the governing bodies of the church hierarchy organized by the movement's founder Joseph Smith, Jr., and patterned after the twelve apostles of Christ In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Quorum of the Twelve (also known as the...
, led by Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
; James Strang
James Strang
James Jesse Strang was an American religious leader, politician and self-proclaimed monarch who founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , a faction of the Latter Day Saint movement...
, a newly-baptized convert from Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
; and Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
, who had served as Joseph Smith's "First Counselor". At first, Cutler threw in his lot with the Twelve. He continued to work on the Nauvoo Temple, where he was allegedly "sealed" to his spouse Lois on 14 February 1846, having received his endowment on 12 October 1843, prior to Smith's death. LDS church records indicate that Cutler was sealed to six other women during this timeframe, but members of his church adamantly deny this or any assertion that Cutler—or Joseph Smith, for that matter—approved of or practiced plural marriage. Cutler would later insist that the temple had not been finished by the "sufficient time" given in the revelation authorizing its construction; this proved pivotal for his own claims to legitimacy when he chose to start his own church organization.
Breaking with the Twelve
When Brigham Young decided to commence the Saints' trek to Utah, he appointed Alpheus Cutler as Captain of "Emigrating Company No. 3," one of twenty-five such travelling units into which the Mormon pioneers were organized. Cutler established Cutler's ParkCutler's Park
Cutler's Park was briefly the headquarter camp of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints established by 2500 members as they were making their way westward to the Rocky Mountains...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
in 1846, and was appointed presiding member of the municipal High Council on 9 August of that year. Barely one month later, he was asked to find a new location for a settlement; on 11 September, he selected the site that would become Winter Quarters.
Sometime prior to 1849, Alpheus Cutler made a decision to withdraw from the main church body under the Twelve, and go his own way. In the fall of 1847, Brigham Young had sanctioned his request to conduct the mission work among the Indians to which Joseph Smith had assigned him, and Cutler had commenced his efforts with nearby tribes. All seemed well at first. However, the arrival of apostle Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...
at nearby Kanesville, Iowa in early 1848 changed the situation. Cutler became the subject of lurid rumors concerning his Indian mission, with spurious reports indicating that he had been elected as the "Generalissimo" of a union of "thirty-seven nations". Further tales of alleged disloyalty to the Twelve by Cutler among the "Lamanites" fueled the fire; a visit by Ezra T. Benson
Ezra T. Benson
Ezra Taft Benson was as an apostle and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .-Early life:Benson was born in Mendon, Massachusetts, the son of John Benson and...
, George A. Smith
George A. Smith
George Albert Smith was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and as a member of the church's First Presidency.-Childhood:Smith was born in Potsdam, St...
and others to Cutler's mission only partially calmed the situation. Although Brigham Young wrote to Cutler, offering him aid to move west, a house in Salt Lake City and a warm welcome once he arrived, the "Old Fox" (as Cutler was affectionately called) refused to go.
Hyde ultimately became convinced that Cutler considered himself to be a greater authority than the council over which he (Hyde) presided, and ordered his mission suspended. Insisting that Cutler had become an enemy to Young's organization, the Kanesville High Council excommunicated
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
him on 20 April 1851. Brigham labored to bring Cutler back into the fold, writing of an ardent desire to see his old friend and promising him protection against any enemies he might have in the church. Even as late as 1856, long after Cutler had founded his own organization, Young indicated to LDS General Authorities
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
that he would forgive everything if Cutler would only come to Utah.
Iowa and Minnesota
But Cutler had no intention of going to Utah. Having broken with Young's organization, he set about creating his own. Having been forced to abandon his mission in 1851 under pressure from local Indian AgentIndian agent
In United States history, an Indian agent was an individual authorized to interact with Native American tribes on behalf of the U.S. government.-Indian agents:*Leander Clark was agent for the Sac and Fox in Iowa beginning in 1866....
s and government authorities, Cutler and his followers relocated to Manti, Iowa, in the southwestern part of that state. On 19 September 1853 Cutler organized The Church of Jesus Christ, claiming that he had seen a special celestial sign (two crescent-moons with their backs together) which Joseph Smith had allegedly told him to wait for before commencing this "reorganization" of the church. From the very beginning, Cutler claimed that Joseph Smith's church had been "rejected" by God for its alleged "trangrassions", and that only he possessed the power to reorganize it. Thus, said he, his new organization was the sole legitimate continuance of Joseph Smith's work.
According to Cutler, the misdeed that brought about the rejection of Joseph Smith's church was its failure to complete the Nauvoo temple within the "sufficient time" mentioned in Doctrine and Covenants 124:31-32; Joseph Smith's church had accordingly ceased to exist as a legitimate entity. This did not mean that Smith's restored priesthood had been withdrawn from the earth, said Cutler, for he viewed the church and the priesthood as two separate things. While the former had been rejected, said he, the latter had not, and now remained solely with him as the seventh and final member of a furtive "Quorum of Seven" appointed by Joseph Smith to carry on his authority independently of the rejected church. All previous members of this quorum had died or apostatized, said Cutler; hence, he and he alone possessed power to "reorganize" Smith's church.
While in Manti, the Cutlerite church attained its highest membership figure: 183 persons. The church endeavored to establish a United Order in Manti, but this attempt failed. Furthermore, Manti was being visited during this period by missionaries from the Reorganized Church
Community of Christ
The Community of Christ, known from 1872 to 2001 as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , is an American-based international Christian church established in April 1830 that claims as its mission "to proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace"...
, a rival organization that accepted the leadership of Joseph Smith's eldest son, Joseph Smith III
Joseph Smith III
Joseph Smith III was the eldest surviving son of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, and Emma Hale Smith...
. Many Cutlerites chose to accept "young Joseph", and joined his organization; among them was Cutler's son, Thaddeus. Shortly after Cutler's death on 10 August 1864, those members of his church who had remained loyal to him relocated to Clitherall
Clitherall, Minnesota
Clitherall is a city in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 112 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, in response to an alleged vision. RLDS evangelists followed the Cutlerites to their new home and culled many more from their ranks, ultimately leaving Cutler's church with a mere three elders and a few members. The remaining Cutlerites refused to give up, however, constructing a new church building in Clitherall and successfully establishing a church corporation in 1912 to effect the ideals of Joseph Smith's United Order.
Moving to Independence and recent history
In 1928, a portion of the Cutlerite remnant moved to Independence, where they built their present headquarters close to the Temple LotTemple Lot
The Temple Lot, located in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, is the first site to be dedicated for the construction of a temple in the Latter Day Saint movement...
and were gradually joined by nearly all of the other members. The Cutlerite settlement in Clitherall was ultimately abandoned, though the meetinghouse and some of the homes remain church property to this day. Schisms rent the dimunitive group in 1953 and 1980; the former began as a dispute over succession in the presidency following the death of Emery Fletcher in 1953. The Minnesota congregation did not agree with the subsequent succession of Erle Whiting to the office of Church President, and selected Clyde Fletcher as their leader, instead. Clyde Fletcher's organization, called the True Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
True Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
The True Church of Jesus Christ was a small Latter Day Saint faction which split from the Church of Jesus Christ in 1953 under its founder, Clyde Fletcher, and continued to exist until Fletcher's death in 1969...
, remained identical to its Independence counterpart in all respects except for its leadership and ceased to exist upon Fletcher's death in 1969, which healed the schism.
The 1980 schism came about when the church rejected the claims of former member Eugene O. Walton, who claimed to be "The One Mighty and Strong
One Mighty and Strong
One Mighty and Strong is a person of unknown identity who was the subject of an 1832 prophecy by Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, echoing the words and prophecy of Isaiah 28:2. The One Mighty and Strong was said by Smith to be one who would "set in order the house of...
" prophesied by Joseph Smith. Walton left that year and founded the Restored Church of Jesus Christ
Restored Church of Jesus Christ
The Restored Church of Jesus Christ is a small Latter Day Saint church headquartered in Independence, Missouri. It was founded in 1980 by Eugene O. Walton , who had previously been an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ , and who claims to be the "One Mighty and Strong" prophesied in Mormon...
, which differs substantially with its parent organization on several points of doctrine.
The Cutlerites do not conduct missionary work or actively solicit converts, because they believe that God rejected the "Gentile
Gentile
The term Gentile refers to non-Israelite peoples or nations in English translations of the Bible....
s" following the death of Joseph Smith, and thus there can be no more active missionary work among them (as in the LDS and other Latter Day Saint churches). Membership was listed at 22 in 1957, and has declined further since then. The current church president (as of 2011) is Vernon Whiting.
Presidents of the Cutlerite church
- Alpheus CutlerAlpheus CutlerAlpheus Cutler was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement who served in several church positions under Mormon founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
(1853-1864): Founder of the Cutlerite church; associate of Joseph Smith, Jr.. Died in Manti, Iowa. - Chancey Whiting (1867-1902): Led Cutlerites to Clitherall, MinnesotaClitherall, MinnesotaClitherall is a city in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 112 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, where they stayed until their move to Independence in the 1920's. - Isaac Whiting (1902-1922): Reestablished the Order of Enoch, which continues to function to this day.
- Emery Fletcher (1922-1953): Led the church in removing its headquarters and most of the membership to Independence, MissouriIndependence, MissouriIndependence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
. - Erle Whiting (1955-1958): His succession was disputed by the Minnesota congregation, leading to a temporary schism between the two groups.
- Rupert J. Fletcher (1958-1974): Wrote Alpheus Cutler and the Church of Jesus Christ, a compendium of Cutlerite history and beliefs.
- Julian Whiting (1974-1997): Resisted attempts by Eugene O. Walton to proclaim himself "The One Mighty and StrongOne Mighty and StrongOne Mighty and Strong is a person of unknown identity who was the subject of an 1832 prophecy by Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, echoing the words and prophecy of Isaiah 28:2. The One Mighty and Strong was said by Smith to be one who would "set in order the house of...
"; Walton ultimately left and founded his own organizationRestored Church of Jesus ChristThe Restored Church of Jesus Christ is a small Latter Day Saint church headquartered in Independence, Missouri. It was founded in 1980 by Eugene O. Walton , who had previously been an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ , and who claims to be the "One Mighty and Strong" prophesied in Mormon...
. - Stanley Whiting (1997-2011): Son of Julian Whiting; led church during last portion of the twentieth century, and the first portion of the twenty-first.
- Vernon Whiting (2011-Present): Newest president of the Cutlerite church; cousin to Stanley Whiting.
Church organization
As in most Latter Day Saint sects, Cutlerite church organization entails a Presidency consisting of a President and two Counselors; when a Cutlerite prophet dies, his First Counselor succeeds to his office subject, as in all Mormon factions, to the common consent of the membership. All other offices of the Melchizedek and Aaronic Priesthoods are accepted (Apostle, Patriarch, High Priest, Elder, Priest, Teacher and Deacon), though not all are filled in the current organization due to its extremely small numbers. All priesthood offices are limited to males.Priesthood and the church
Cutlerites hold a unique view of the relationship between the priesthood and the church. While most Latter Day Saints tend to believe them to be one and the same, Cutlerites do not. The priesthood, say they, was restored to Joseph Smith in 1829, prior to his organization of the church on April 6, 1830. Thus, according to the Cutlerites, whereas the church can never exist without the priesthood (a belief held by practically all other Latter Day Saint churches), the priesthood can exist on earth without the church (a uniquely Cutlerite belief), as it did between 1829 and 1830.This idea plays a very important role in Cutlerite conceptions of the Latter Day Saint movement, especially in the period immediately prior to and following the murder of Joseph Smith. Cutlerites point to Doctrine and Covenants 124:31-32 (LDS), which commands the building of a temple in Nauvoo, and also refers to a "sufficient time" being granted for its construction, followed by the threat of being "rejected as a church, with your dead" if the structure is not completed within the allotted period. While other Mormon factions interpret this passage in varying ways, Cutlerites believe it indicates that if the Nauvoo Temple were not finished within a specific time (which seems never to have been identified with any specific date), then the organization effected by Joseph Smith on April 6, 1830 would be "rejected," and thus cease to be valid in the sight of God. Since the Cutlerites assert that the Nauvoo Temple was never truly completed—an allegation contested by the LDS and most other Mormon factions—they allege that the Latter Day Saint church existing from 1830 to 1844 was indeed "rejected" by God.
However, Cutler's followers maintain, the demise of Smith's church did not entail the demise of his priesthood. Foreseeing this development, Smith had provided a means for selected priesthood holders to reorganize his church at an appropriate future time: a "Quorum of Seven." Alpheus Cutler maintained that he was the seventh member of this order; he only identified one other alleged colleague: John Smith, uncle of Joseph Smith, whom he said was the sixth. All of the others, said Cutler, had either died or apostatized (including John Smith); thus, he was the only person still possessing authority from Joseph Smith to reconstitute the church. Some have alleged that this Quorum of Seven might have existed as a subcommittee within the Council of Fifty, but the Cutlerites have never advanced any such interpretation or otherwise addressed that particular subject.
United Order
Cutlerites practice the United OrderUnited Order
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the United Order was one of several 19th century church collectivist programs. Early versions of the Order beginning in 1831 attempted to implement the Law of Consecration, a form of Christian communism, modeled after the New Testament church which had "all things...
. They endeavor to replicate, as far as possible, the ideal of "All Things Common" taught in the early Latter Day Saint church. This replaces the law of tithing
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
taught by most other Mormon factions, and participation is required of all members. Cutlerites do not believe that Joseph Smith ever authored the 119th section of the Doctrine and Covenants (LDS), which mandates tithing, claiming that it was never presented to the membership until after Smith's death.
Temple ordinances
The Cutlerites are the only non-LDS derived group of Latter Day Saints who practice the "endowment" ceremony that originated during the Nauvoo period of Mormon history. However, unlike almost all others who observe these ordinances, they do not require the construction of a temple edifice to perform them (though Cutlerites believe in the concept of temples). Instead, their meetinghouses are used for this purpose. These follow the pattern of the Nauvoo Temple, with a main-floor room for ordinary church services, a font beneath for baptisms of both the living and for the dead, and a second story above for the "Priesthood Ordinances", as they term them.As with the LDS ordinances, these ceremonies (and the rooms in which they are performed) are considered especially sacred, and are not open to, or shared with, the public. In contrast with the LDS church, which allows new members to receive their endowment one year after baptism, Cutlerites generally wait many years before receiving these ordinances. The Cutlerite church also practices Baptism for the Dead, but not eternal marriage.
Scriptures
Cutlerites utilize the Inspired Version of the BibleBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
, and the 1846 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement...
. The latter work includes the "Lectures on Faith
Lectures on Faith
The document "Lectures on Faith" is a set of seven lectures on the doctrine and theology of the Latter Day Saint movement, first published as the doctrine portion of the 1835 edition of the canonical Doctrine and Covenants, but later removed from that work by both major branches of the faith. It...
," which Cutlerites regard as Scripture, as well as the revelations on Baptism for the Dead. The Pearl of Great Price
Pearl of Great Price (Mormonism)
The Pearl of Great Price is part of the standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and some other Latter Day Saint denominations....
is not part of Cutlerite Scripture, save that portion of it that forms a portion of the Inspired Version of the Bible (the Book of Moses
Book of Moses
The Book of Moses is part of the scriptural canon of Mormonism dictated by founder Joseph Smith, Jr. It is an amalgamation of the "Vision of Moses," which Smith dictated in June 1830, the "Book of Enoch," dictated December 1830, and material deriving from Smith's revision of the Book of Genesis in...
and Joseph Smith-Matthew).
The Book of Abraham
Book of Abraham
The Book of Abraham is a 1835 work by Joseph Smith, Jr. that he said was based on Egyptian papyri purchased from a traveling mummy exhibition. According to Smith, the book was "a translation of some ancient records....purporting to be the writings of Abraham, while he was in Egypt, called the Book...
is rejected as Scripture, as are the LDS concepts of Eternal Progression (whereby God was once a man, and man may become a god), plural marriage and eternal marriage. Cutlerite concepts of the Godhead mirror those presented in the Lectures on Faith. The first vision
First Vision
The First Vision refers to a vision that Joseph Smith, Jr. said he received as a youth in a wooded area in Manchester, New York, which his followers call the Sacred Grove. Smith described it as a personal theophany in which he received a forgiveness of sins...
of Joseph Smith is accepted as authentic, though not canonized as Scripture. The Articles of Faith contained in the LDS Pearl of Great Price are not officially canonized (as in the LDS Church), though they do reflect basic Cutlerite beliefs.
Book of Mormon lands
While many Latter Day Saints point toArchaeology and the Book of Mormon
Since the publication of the Book of Mormon in 1830, both Mormon and non-Mormon archaeologists have studied its claims in reference to known archaeological evidence...
Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
as the most likely geographical location for the lands depicted in the Book of Mormon, Cutlerites insist that these were primarily in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, particularly in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Missionary work
Unlike many other Latter Day Saints, Cutlerites do not engage in missionary work. Alpheus Cutler taught that with the murder of Joseph Smith, the "GentileGentile
The term Gentile refers to non-Israelite peoples or nations in English translations of the Bible....
s" (non-Native Americans living in America and the world) had rejected Smith's gospel, and thus there was to be no more preaching to them. This does not mean that Cutlerites do not welcome visitors. They simply do not believe in going out to convert others; they feel that God will lead those who are truly interested to them. While Cutlerites do not discourage new members from joining them, they point out the high expectations enjoined by their ideals, and the seriousness of the baptismal commitment.
Media
- Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite) Meetinghouse, located in Clitherall, MinnesotaClitherall, MinnesotaClitherall is a city in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 112 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
. Originally built by the church in 1912, this building was used as the meetinghouse for Clyde Fletcher's True Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)True Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)The True Church of Jesus Christ was a small Latter Day Saint faction which split from the Church of Jesus Christ in 1953 under its founder, Clyde Fletcher, and continued to exist until Fletcher's death in 1969...
from 1953-69, but was never the legal property of that organization. - Historic photos of Clitherall, Minnesota. A selection of historical and modern photographs of Clitherall, Minnesota, which was founded by the Cutlerites in 1864. The Cutlerites maintained a presence here until the early 1990's, and still own their old meetinghouse, though it is no longer used.
- Manti, Iowa. Contains information and a few modern photos of the old Cutlerite cemetery and settlement in Manti, Iowa, which was founded by Alpheus CutlerAlpheus CutlerAlpheus Cutler was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement who served in several church positions under Mormon founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
in 1851. The Cutlerites remained there until 1864, when they relocated to Clitherall, Minnesota. Also includes a map of the town.
External links
- Church of Jesus Christ. Official site; contains only one page with little information. An archived version, containing more data (largely taken from the Fletcher book), may be viewed here.