James Strang
Encyclopedia
James Jesse Strang was an American religious leader, politician and self-proclaimed monarch
who founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
, a faction of the Latter Day Saint movement
. A major contender for leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints church during the 1844 succession crisis, Strang vied with Brigham Young
and Sidney Rigdon
for control of the main body of Latter Day Saints in Nauvoo, Illinois
before his rejection by that group led him to start his own sect. While serving as Prophet, Seer and Revelator of his church—which he claimed to be the sole legitimate continuation of the Church of Christ founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1830—Strang reigned for six years as the crowned "king
" of an ecclesiastical monarchy that he established on Beaver Island
in the U.S. state of Michigan
. Building an organization that eventually rivaled Young's in Utah
, Strang gained nearly 12,000 adherents prior to his murder in 1856, which brought down his kingdom and all but extinguished his sect.
In contrast to Joseph Smith, who had served as president of his church, Strang taught that Smith's prophetic office embodied an overtly royal attribute, by which its occupant was to be not only the spiritual leader of his people, but their temporal king as well. He offered a sophisticated set of teachings that differed in many significant aspects from any other version of Mormonism, including that preached by Smith. To bolster his claims, Strang published translations of two purportedly long-lost works: the Voree Record
, deciphered from three metal plates reportedly unearthed in response to a vision; and the Book of the Law of the Lord
, supposedly transcribed from the Plates of Laban
mentioned in The Book of Mormon. These are accepted as scripture by his followers, but not by any other Latter Day Saint church. Though his long-term doctrinal influence on the Latter Day Saint movement was minimal, several early members of Strang's organization helped to establish the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which became (and remains) the second-largest Mormon sect. While most of Strang's followers eventually disavowed him, a small but devout remnant continues to carry on his teachings and organization today.
In addition to his ecclesiastical calling, Strang served one full term and part of a second as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, and assisted in the organization of Manitou County
. He was also at various times an attorney, educator, temperance lecturer, newspaper editor, Baptist
minister, correspondent for the New York Tribune
, and amateur scientist. His survey of Beaver Island's
natural history was published by the Smithsonian Institution
, remaining the definitive work on that subject for nearly a century, while his career in the Michigan legislature was praised even by his enemies. However, his polygamous
lifestyle and sometimes abrasive personality made him many enemies inside his church and out of it, contributing to his ultimate demise.
While Strang's organization is formally known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
, the term "Strangite" is usually added to the title to avoid confusing them with other Latter Day Saint bodies carrying this or similar names. This follows a typical nineteenth century usage where followers of Brigham Young
were sometimes referred to as "Brighamites," while those of Sidney Rigdon
were called "Rigdonites," followers of Joseph Smith III
were called "Josephites", and disciples of Strang became "Strangites".
, Joseph's brother. Shortly after Smith's murder
on June 27, 1844, Strang announced that Smith had appointed him to take over leadership of the church. His claims were quickly rejected by ten of Smith's Twelve Apostles, who gained the support of most church members in Nauvoo. However, Strang managed to win enough disciples to form a viable organization of his own. Among the more prominent of these were four of the eleven witnesses
to The Book of Mormon, three of Joseph Smith's apostles, a leading bishop of his church, and several members of Smith's family, including his mother. Nearly all of these later repudiated Strang, however. Many would later go on to help in founding the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
, which became the primary advocate of a non-polygamous version of the Latter Day Saint religion.
Strang's church was originally centered in Voree
, Wisconsin
, just outside present-day Burlington
, which his "Letter of Appointment
" named as the new "gathering place" for the Latter Day Saints. In 1848, Strang moved his followers to Beaver Island in Lake Michigan
, where he was proclaimed the "king" of his people in 1850. While his church suffered persecution there, it continued to grow, steadily gaining converts from other Latter Day Saint sects until Strang's assassination in 1856. His followers were subsequently driven from the island, and while most later disavowed him, a small but devout remnant still practices Strang's teachings today.
, Cayuga County, New York
. He was the second of three children, and his parents had a good reputation in their community. James' mother was very tender with him as a consequence of delicate health, yet she required him to render an account of all his actions and words while absent from her. In a brief autobiography he wrote in 1855, Strang reported that he had attended grade school until age twelve, but that "the terms were usually short, the teachers inexperienced and ill qualified to teach, and my health such as to preclude attentive study or steady attendance." He estimated that his time in a classroom during those years totaled six months.
But none of this meant that Strang was illiterate or simple. Although his teachers "not unfrequently turned me off with little or no attention, as though I was too stupid to learn and too dull to feel neglect," Strang recalled that he spent "long weary days...upon the floor, thinking, thinking, thinking....my mind wandered over fields that old men shrink from, seeking rest and finding none till darkness gathered thick around and I burst into tears." He studied works by Thomas Paine
and the Comte de Volney, whose book Les Ruines exerted a significant influence on the future prophet.
As a youth, Strang kept a rather profound personal diary, written partly in a secret code that was not deciphered until over one hundred years after it was authored (by Strang's own grandson Mark Strang, a banker in Long Beach, California). This journal contains Strang's musings on a variety of topics, including his desire to "rival Caesar
or Napoleon" and his regret that by age nineteen, he had not yet become a general
or member of the state legislature, which he saw as being essential by that point in his life to his quest for fame. However, Strang's diary equally reveals a sincere desire to be of service to his fellow man, together with agonized frustration at not knowing how he might do so as a penniless, unknown youth from upstate New York.
At age twelve, Strang was baptized a Baptist. He did not wish to follow his father's calling as a farmer, so he took up the study of law
. Strang was admitted to the bar in New York
at age 23 and later at other places where he resided. He became county Postmaster
and edited a local newspaper, the Randolph Herald. Later, in the midst of his myriad duties on Beaver Island, he would find time to found and publish the Daily Northern Islander, the first newspaper in northern Michigan.
Strang, who once described himself as a "cool philosopher" and a freethinker
, became a Baptist minister
but left in February 1844 to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He quickly found favor with Joseph Smith, though they had known each other only a short time, and was baptized personally by him. Immediately ordained an Elder, Strang was sent forthwith at Smith's request to Wisconsin, to establish a Mormon stake at Voree
. Shortly after Strang's departure, Joseph Smith was murdered by an anti-Mormon mob in Carthage, Illinois
.
, the sole surviving member of Smith's First Presidency; and James Strang. A power struggle ensued, and Young eventually led the bulk of Smith's followers to Utah
while Rigdon led his to Pennsylvania
. As a newcomer to the faith, Strang did not possess the name recognition enjoyed by his rivals, and so faced an "uphill" battle in his quest to be recognized as the heir to Smith's prophetic mantle. Though the Quorum of Twelve published a notice in the Times and Seasons
of Strang's excommunication, Strang insisted that he had never received a legitimate trial. He equally asserted that the Twelve had no right to sit in judgment on him, as he was the lawful President of the church.
To back his claim, Strang produced a "Letter of Appointment" allegedly from Smith, carrying a Nauvoo postmark
and dated June 18, 1844. He furthermore testified that an angel
appointed him as Joseph Smith's successor at the time Smith died. Smith and Strang were some 200 miles (320 km) apart at the time, and Strang offered witnesses to affirm that he had made his announcement before news of Smith's demise was publicly available. Strang's letter is held today by Yale University
. Although the postmark is legitimate, some modern analysts have asserted that Joseph Smith's signature on the third page is a forgery
. One former Strangite claimed that Strang's law partner conspired with Strang to fabricate his Letter of Appointment and the Voree Plates
, though no proof of this was ever produced.
Strang's letter convinced several eminent Mormons of his claims. Book of Mormon witnesses John
and David Whitmer
, Martin Harris and Hiram Page
, Apostles John E. Page
, William E. M'Lellin, and William Smith
, Smith's sisters, Nauvoo Stake President William Marks
, Bishop George Miller
, and Joseph Smith's mother, Lucy Mack Smith
, with others, accepted Strang at first. Lucy Smith wrote to one Reuben Hedlock: "I am satisfied that Joseph appointed J.J. Strang. It is verily so." According to Joseph Smith's brother William, all of his family (except for Hyrum and Samuel Smith
's widows), initially endorsed Strang.
Also championing Strang was John C. Bennett
, a physician and libertine
who had enjoyed a less than stellar career as Joseph Smith's Assistant President
and mayor of Nauvoo. Invited by Strang to join him in Voree, Bennett was instrumental in establishing a so-called "Halcyon Order of the Illuminati
" there, with Strang as its "Imperial Primate." Eventually Bennett's profligate ways caught up with him, as in Nauvoo, and Strang expelled him in 1847. His "order" fell by the wayside and has no role in Strangism today, though it did lead to conflict between Strang and some of his associates.
in Lake Michigan
, where Strang's headquarters was moved in 1848. Most of his initial adherents, including all of those listed above (with the exception of George Miller, who remained loyal to Strang until death), would leave Strang's church before his demise. John E. Page departed in July 1849, accusing Strang of dictatorial tendencies and concurring with Bennett's furtive "Illuminati" order. Martin Harris had broken with Strang by January 1847, after a failed mission to England. Hiram Page and the Whitmers also left around this time.
Most defections, however, were due to Strang's seemingly abrupt "about-face" on the turbulent subject of polygamy. Vehemently opposed to the practice at first, Strang reversed course in 1849 to become one of its strongest advocates, marrying five wives (including his original spouse, Mary) and fathering fourteen children. Since many of his early disciples viewed him as a monogamous counterweight to Brigham Young's polygamous version of Mormonism, Strang's decision to embrace plural marriage proved costly to him and his organization. Strang defended his new tenet by claiming that, far from enslaving or demeaning women, polygamy would liberate and "elevate" them by allowing them to choose the best possible mate based upon any factors deemed important to them—even if that mate were already married to someone else. Rather than being forced to wed "corrupt and degraded sires" due to the scarcity of more suitable men, a woman could marry the man she saw as the most compatible to herself, the best candidate to father her children and give her the finest possible life, no matter how many other wives he might have.
Strang's first wife was Mary Perce, whom he married on November 20, 1836, when she was eighteen and he was twenty-three. They were separated in May 1851, though they remained legally married until Strang's death. His second wife, married on July 13, 1849, was nineteen-year old Elvira Eliza Field (who disguised herself at first as "Charlie J. Douglas," Strang's purported nephew, before revealing her true identity in 1850). Strang's third wife was thirty-one year old Betsy McNutt, whom he married on January 19, 1852; his fourth was nineteen-year old Sarah Adelia Wright, married on July 15, 1855. Ironically, decades after Strang's death, Sarah would divorce her second husband, one Dr. Wing, due to his interest in polygamy. Strang's last wife was eighteen-year old Phoebe Wright, cousin to Sarah, whom he wed on October 27, 1855, less than one year before his murder.
Sarah Wright described Strang as "a very mild-spoken, kind man to his family, although his word was law." She wrote that while each wife had her own bedroom, they shared meals and devotional time together with Strang and that life in their household was "as pleasant as possible." On the other hand, Strang and Phoebe Wright's daughter, Eugenia, wrote in 1936 that after only eight months of marriage, her mother had "begun to feel dissatisfied with polygamy, though she loved him [Strang] devotedly all her life."
, and claimed to have restored long-lost spiritual knowledge to humankind. Like Smith, he presented witnesses to authenticate the records he claimed to have received. Unlike Smith, however, Strang offered his plates to the public for examination. The non-Mormon Christopher Sholes
–inventor of the typewriter
and editor of a local newspaper–perused Strang's "Voree Plates
", a minuscule brass chronicle Strang said he had been led to by a vision in 1845. Sholes offered no opinion on Strang's find, but described the would-be prophet as "honest and earnest" and opined that his followers ranked "among the most honest and intelligent men in the neighborhood." Strang published his translation of these plates as the "Voree Record," purporting to be the last testament of one "Rajah Manchou of Vorito," who had lived in the area centuries earlier and wished to leave a brief statement for posterity. While many scoffed, Strangites assert that two modern scholars have affirmed that the text on the plates appears to represent a genuine, albeit unknown, language. This assertion has not been verified by independent sources, however. The Voree Plates disappeared around 1900, and their current whereabouts are unknown.
Strang also claimed to have translated the "Plates of Laban" described in the Book of Mormon
. This translation was published in 1851 as the Book of the Law of the Lord
, said to be the original Law given to Moses and mentioned in II Chronicles 34:14-15. Greatly expanded and republished in 1856, this book served as the constitution for Strang's spiritual kingdom on Beaver Island, and is still accepted as scripture by Strangites. One distinctive feature (besides its overtly monarchial tone) is its restoration of a "missing" commandment to the Decalogue
: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Strang insisted that versions of the Decalogue found in Bibles used by other churches—including other Latter Day Saint churches—contain only nine commandments, not ten.
Strang received several other revelations, which while never formally added to his church's Doctrine and Covenants
, are nevertheless accepted as scripture by his followers. These concerned, among other things, Baptism for the Dead, the building of a temple in Voree, the standing of Sidney Rigdon, and an invitation for Joseph Smith III
, eldest son of Joseph Smith, Jr., to take a position as Counselor
in Strang's First Presidency
. "Young Joseph" never accepted this calling and refused to have anything to do with Strang's organization. Strang also authored The Diamond, an attack on the claims of Sidney Rigdon and Brigham Young, and The Prophetic Controversy, ostensibly for Mrs. Martha Coray, co-author with Lucy Mack Smith of The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother
. Coray, a partisan of Brigham Young's, had challenged "the vain usurper" to provide convincing evidence of his claims, and Strang attempted to oblige in this open letter addressed to her. Coray's reaction to Strang's missive has not been preserved.
and the Virgin Birth
of Jesus Christ together with the Mormon doctrine of "plurality of gods
." A monotheist, he insisted that there was but one eternal God
of all the universe, the Father
, and that "progression to godhood" (a doctrine allegedly taught by Joseph Smith toward the end of his life) was impossible. God had always been God, said Strang, and He was but one Person (not three, as in the traditional Christian Trinity
). Jesus Christ, said Strang, was the natural-born son of Mary
and Joseph
, who was chosen from before all time to be the Savior of mankind, but who had to be born as an ordinary mortal of two human parents (rather than being the offspring of the Father or the Holy Spirit
) to be able to fulfill his Messianic role. Strang claimed that the earthly Christ was in essence "adopted" as God's son at birth, and fully revealed as such during the Transfiguration
. After proving himself to God by living a perfectly sinless life, he was thus enabled to provide an acceptable sacrifice for the sins of men, prior to his resurrection
and ascension.
Furthermore, Strang denied that God could do all things, and insisted that some things were as impossible for Him as for us. Thus, he saw no essential conflict between science and religion, and while he never openly championed evolution
, he did state that God was limited in His power by the matter
He was working with and by the eons of time required to "organize" and shape it. Strang spoke glowingly of a future generation who would "make religion a science," to be "studied by as exact rules as mathematicks." "The mouth of the Seer will be opened," he prophesied, "and the whole earth enlightened."
Musing at length on the nature of sin
and evil
, Strang wrote that of all things that God could give to man, He could never give him experience. Thus, if "free agency" were to be real, said Strang, humanity must be given the opportunity to fail and to learn from its own mistakes. The ultimate goal for each human being was to willingly conform oneself to the "revealed character" of God in every respect, preferring good to evil not out of a fear of punishment or any desire for reward, but rather solely "on account of the innate loveliness of undefiled goodness; of pure unalloyed holiness."
, and enjoined it in lieu of Sunday; the Strangite church continues this tradition. He advocated baptism for the dead
, and practiced it to a limited extent in Voree and on Beaver Island. He also introduced animal sacrifice
–not for sin, but as a part of Strangite celebration rituals. Animal sacrifices and baptisms for the dead are not currently practiced by the Strangite organization, though belief in each is still affirmed. Strang attempted to construct a temple in Voree, but was prevented from completing it due to the poverty and lack of cooperation of his followers. No "endowment
" rituals comparable to those in the Utah LDS church appear to have existed among his followers. Eternal marriage
formed a part of Strang's teaching, though he did not require it to be performed in a temple (as in the LDS church). Thus, such marriages are still contracted in Strang's church in the absence of any Strangite temple or "endowment" ceremony. Alcohol, tobacco, coffee and tea were prohibited, as in many Latter Day Saint denominations. Polygamy is no longer practiced by Strang's followers, though belief in its correctness is still affirmed.
Strang allowed women to hold the Priesthood offices of Priest and Teacher, unique among all Latter Day Saint factions during his lifetime. He welcomed African Americans into his church, and ordained at least two to the eldership. Strang also mandated conservation
of land and resources, requiring the building of parks and retention of large forests in his kingdom. He wrote an eloquent refutation of the "Solomon Spalding
theory" of the Book of Mormon's authorship, and defended the ministry and teachings of Joseph Smith–as he understood them.
described in the Book of the Law of the Lord. He insisted that this authority was incumbent upon all holders of Joseph Smith's prophetic office from the beginning of time, and his followers believe that Smith himself was crowned secretly as "king" of the Kingdom of God
before his murder. Strang was accordingly crowned in 1850 by his counselor and Prime Minister, an actor named George J. Adams
. About 300 people witnessed his coronation
, for which he wore a bright red flannel robe topped by a white collar with black speckles. His tin crown
was described in one account as "a shiny metal ring with a cluster of glass stars in the front." Strang also sported a breastplate
and carried a wooden scepter. He "reigned" for six years, and the date of his coronation, July 8, is still mandated as one of the two most important dates in the Strangite church year (the other being April 6, the anniversary of the founding of Joseph Smith's church).
Strang never claimed to be the king of Beaver Island itself, nor of any other geographical entity. Rather, he claimed to be king over his church, which he saw as the true "Kingdom of God
" prophesied in Scripture and destined to spread over all the earth. Nor did Strang ever say that his "kingdom" supplanted United States sovereignty over Beaver Island. However, since his sect was the main religious body on the isle, claiming the allegiance of most of its inhabitants, Strang often asserted authority even over non-Strangites on Beaver—which ultimately caused him and his followers a great deal of grief. Furthermore, he and many of his disciples were accused of forcibly appropriating property and revenue on the island, which made him few friends among the "gentiles."
On the other hand, Strang and his people lived in justified apprehension of what their nonmember neighbors, many of whom were bullying and threatening toward them, might do next. Strangites were often beaten up while going to the post office to collect their mail, and some of their homes were robbed and even seized by "gentiles" while Strangite men were away. On July 4, 1850, a drunken mob of fishermen vowed to kill the "Mormons" or drive them out, only to be awed into submission when Strang fired a cannon (which he had secretly acquired) at them. Competition for business and jobs added to tensions on the island, as did the increasing Strangite monopoly on local government, made sure after Beaver and adjacent islands were attached first to Emmet County
in 1853, then later organized into their own insular county of Manitou
in 1855.
As a result of his coronation, together with lurid tales spread by George Adams (who had been excommunicated by Strang a few months after the ceremony), Strang was accused of treason
, counterfeiting, trespass
on government land, and theft
, among other crimes. He was brought to trial in Detroit, Michigan
, after President Millard Fillmore
ordered U.S. District Attorney George Bates to investigate the rumors about Strang and his colony. Strang's successful trial defense brought him considerable favorable press, which he leveraged to run for, and win, a seat in the Michigan state legislature as a Democrat in 1853. Facing a determined effort to deny him this seat due to the hostility of his enemies, he was permitted to address the legislature in his defense, after which the Michigan House of Representatives voted twice (first unanimously, then a second time by a 49-11 margin) to allow "King Strang" to join them.
In the 1853 legislative session, Strang introduced ten bills, five of which passed. The Detroit Advertiser, on February 10, 1853, wrote of Strang: "Mr. Strang’s course as a member of the present Legislature, has disarmed much of the prejudices which have previously surrounded him. Whatever may be said or thought of the peculiar sect of which he is the local head, I take pleasure in stating that throughout this session he has conducted himself with the degree of decorum and propriety which have been equaled by his industry, sagacity, good temper, apparent regard for the true interests of the people, and the obligations of his official oath." He was reelected in 1855, and did much to organize the upper portion of Michigan's lower peninsula into counties
and townships. Strang ardently fought the illegal practice of trading liquor to local Native American
tribes. This made him many enemies among those non-Strangite residents of Beaver and nearby Mackinac Island
who profited mightily from this illicit trade.
on Strang's orders, and felt considerable resentment toward the "king." Another, Dr. H.D. McCulloch, had been excommunicated for drunkenness and other alleged misdeeds, after previously enjoying Strang's favor and several high offices in local government. These conspired against Strang with Alexander Wentworth and Dr. J. Atkyn, who had allegedly endeavored (unsuccessfully) to blackmail the Strangites into paying his numerous bad debts. A decree that female Strangites must wear "bloomers"
only added fuel to the fire for Bedford and other malcontents on Beaver Island. Pistols were procured, and the four conspirators began several days of target practice while finalizing the details of their murderous plan.
Although Strang apparently knew that Bedford and the others were gunning for him, he seems not to have taken them very seriously. "We laugh with bitter scorn at all these threats," he wrote in the Northern Islander, just days before his murder. Strang's refusal to employ a bodyguard
or to carry a firearm or other weapon made him an easy target.
On Monday, June 16, 1856, Strang was waylaid around 7:00 PM on the dock at the harbor of St. James
, chief city of Beaver Island, by Wentworth and Bedford, who shot him in the back. All of this was carried out in full view of several officers and men of the , a U.S. Naval
vessel docked in the harbor. Not one person on board the ship made any effort to warn or to aid the intended victim.
Strang was hit three times: one bullet grazed his head, another lodged in his cheek and a third in his spine. One of the assassins then savagely pistol-whipped the fallen prophet before running aboard the nearby vessel with his companion, where both claimed sanctuary. Some accused Captain McBlair of the Michigan of complicity in, or at least foreknowledge of, the assassination plot, though no hard evidence of this was ever forthcoming."Apostle Chidester Announces James’ Death". MormonBeliefs.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-28. The so-called "King of Beaver Island" was taken to Voree, where he lived for three weeks, dying on July 9, 1856 at the age of 43. After refusing to deliver Bedford and Wentworth to the local sheriff
, McBlair transported them to Mackinac Island, where they were given a mock trial, fined $1.25, released, and then feted by the locals. None of the plotters was ever punished for his crimes.
later called "the most disgraceful day in Michigan history," a drunken mob of "gentiles" from Mackinac and elsewhere descended upon the island and forcibly evicted every Strangite from it. Strang's subjects on the island—numbering approximately 2,600 persons—were herded onto hastily-commandeered steamers, most after being robbed of their money and other personal possessions, and unceremoniously dumped onto docks along the shores of Lake Michigan. A few moved back to Voree, while the rest scattered across the country.
Strang had refused to appoint a successor, telling his apostles to take care of their families as best they could, and await divine instruction. While his supporters endeavored to keep his church alive, Strang's unique dogma requiring his successor to be ordained by angels handicapped his church in its search for a new prophet. Lorenzo Dow Hickey, the last of Strang's apostles, emerged as an ad-hoc leader until his death in 1900, followed by Wingfield W. Watson
, a High Priest in Strang's organization (until he died in 1922). Neither of these men ever claimed Strang's office or authority, however. Left without a prophet to guide them, most of Strang's members (including all of his wives) departed his church in the years after his murder. Most later joined the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
, which was established in 1860. A few, however, continue to carry on Strang's mission as best they can, while awaiting a new successor to their fallen founder.
Strang's disciples today are divided into two main factions; one is led by a Presiding High Priest, who does not claim to have the authority or priesthood office possessed by Joseph Smith or James Strang. The other claims that the first faction is in error, and that by incorporating in 1961, it lost its identity as a faithful continuation of Strang's organization. This second group claims that it is the sole true remnant of James Strang's church. Missionary work is no longer emphasized among the Strangites (unlike the LDS and many other Latter Day Saint sects), as they tend to believe that after three murdered prophets (Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith and James Strang) God closed His dispensation
to the "gentiles" of the West. Consequently, Strang's church has continued to dwindle until the present day. Current membership figures vary between 50 and 300 persons, depending upon the source consulted.
While proving a key player in the 1844 succession struggle, Strang's long-term influence on the Latter Day Saint movement was minimal. His doctrinal innovations had little impact outside of his church, and he was largely ignored until recent historians began to reexamine his life and career. For all his efforts, Strang's most vital (albeit unintended) contribution to the Latter Day Saint religion turned out to be providing some of the impetus behind creation of the Reorganized Church, which became a major rival to the Utah-based LDS Church and other Latter Day Saint groups–including his own.
, and Hiram Page and John Whitmer of the Eight Witnesses
. John Page and William Smith were apostles at Smith's death; William M'Lellin had previously been an apostle, but was excommunicated in 1838. George Miller, who is mentioned in the LDS Doctrine & Covenants section 124: verses 20, 62 and 70. This organization is now called the Community of Christ
. It remains the second-largest church in the Latter Day Saint movement. Strangites still use these terms today, as do members of some other Latter Day Saint groups. No apostles currently remain in Strang's organization, as all Strangite apostles must be appointed by a Strangite prophet. The highest current office in Strang's church is that of High Priest (in the "incorporated" faction) or Elder (in the other). The first group does not have a website; the second has three: http://www.strangite.org, http://www.originalmormonbeliefs.com, and http://www.strangite.blogspot.com.
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
who founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement with around three hundred members as of 1998...
, a faction of the Latter Day Saint movement
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...
. A major contender for leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints church during the 1844 succession crisis, Strang vied with 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...
and Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
for control of the main body of Latter Day Saints in Nauvoo, Illinois
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...
before his rejection by that group led him to start his own sect. While serving as Prophet, Seer and Revelator of his church—which he claimed to be the sole legitimate continuation of the Church of Christ founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1830—Strang reigned for six years as the crowned "king
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
" of an ecclesiastical monarchy that he established on Beaver Island
Beaver Island (Lake Michigan)
Beaver Island is the largest island in Lake Michigan and part of the Beaver Island archipelago. Once home to a unique American monarchy, the island is now a popular tourist and vacation destination....
in the U.S. state of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Building an organization that eventually rivaled Young's in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, Strang gained nearly 12,000 adherents prior to his murder in 1856, which brought down his kingdom and all but extinguished his sect.
In contrast to Joseph Smith, who had served as president of his church, Strang taught that Smith's prophetic office embodied an overtly royal attribute, by which its occupant was to be not only the spiritual leader of his people, but their temporal king as well. He offered a sophisticated set of teachings that differed in many significant aspects from any other version of Mormonism, including that preached by Smith. To bolster his claims, Strang published translations of two purportedly long-lost works: the Voree Record
Voree Plates
The Voree Plates, sometimes called The Record of Rajah Manchou of Vorito, or the Voree Record, were a set of three tiny metal plates allegedly discovered by James J. Strang in 1845 in Voree, near Burlington, Wisconsin...
, deciphered from three metal plates reportedly unearthed in response to a vision; and the Book of the Law of the Lord
Book of the Law of the Lord
The Book of the Law of the Lord is a book accepted as scripture by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints . It is alleged to be a translation by the Strangite prophet James Strang of the Plates of Laban, originally acquired by Nephi, a leading character in the early portion of The Book of...
, supposedly transcribed from the Plates of Laban
Laban (Book of Mormon)
Laban was the name of a person in the first part of The Book of Mormon, a scripture of the Latter Day Saint movement. Although he only makes a brief appearance in the narrative, his brass plates would play an important role amongst the Nephites, who are the book's main protagonists.-Laban:In the...
mentioned in The Book of Mormon. These are accepted as scripture by his followers, but not by any other Latter Day Saint church. Though his long-term doctrinal influence on the Latter Day Saint movement was minimal, several early members of Strang's organization helped to establish the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which became (and remains) the second-largest Mormon sect. While most of Strang's followers eventually disavowed him, a small but devout remnant continues to carry on his teachings and organization today.
In addition to his ecclesiastical calling, Strang served one full term and part of a second as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, and assisted in the organization of Manitou County
Manitou County, Michigan
Manitou County was an insular county in the U.S. state of Michigan consisting of Beaver Island and its surrounding islands, together with the Manitou Islands and Fox Islands in Lake Michigan. The county existed from 1855 to 1895. The county seat was at St...
. He was also at various times an attorney, educator, temperance lecturer, newspaper editor, Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
minister, correspondent for the New York Tribune
New York Tribune
The New York Tribune was an American newspaper, first established by Horace Greeley in 1841, which was long considered one of the leading newspapers in the United States...
, and amateur scientist. His survey of Beaver Island's
Beaver Island (Lake Michigan)
Beaver Island is the largest island in Lake Michigan and part of the Beaver Island archipelago. Once home to a unique American monarchy, the island is now a popular tourist and vacation destination....
natural history was published by the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
, remaining the definitive work on that subject for nearly a century, while his career in the Michigan legislature was praised even by his enemies. However, his polygamous
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
lifestyle and sometimes abrasive personality made him many enemies inside his church and out of it, contributing to his ultimate demise.
While Strang's organization is formally known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement with around three hundred members as of 1998...
, the term "Strangite" is usually added to the title to avoid confusing them with other Latter Day Saint bodies carrying this or similar names. This follows a typical nineteenth century usage where followers of 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...
were sometimes referred to as "Brighamites," while those of Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
were called "Rigdonites," followers of 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...
were called "Josephites", and disciples of Strang became "Strangites".
Summary of Latter Day Saint leadership
James Strang was baptized by Joseph Smith, Jr. as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on February 25, 1844 in Nauvoo, Illinois. On March 3 of that year, he was ordained an Elder by Hyrum SmithHyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, Joseph's brother. Shortly after Smith's murder
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 June 27, 1844, Strang announced that Smith had appointed him to take over leadership of the church. His claims were quickly rejected by ten of Smith's Twelve Apostles, who gained the support of most church members in Nauvoo. However, Strang managed to win enough disciples to form a viable organization of his own. Among the more prominent of these were four of the eleven witnesses
Book of Mormon witnesses
The Book of Mormon witnesses are a group of contemporaries of Joseph Smith, Jr. who said they saw the golden plates from which Smith said he translated the Book of Mormon...
to The Book of Mormon, three of Joseph Smith's apostles, a leading bishop of his church, and several members of Smith's family, including his mother. Nearly all of these later repudiated Strang, however. Many would later go on to help in founding the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
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"...
, which became the primary advocate of a non-polygamous version of the Latter Day Saint religion.
Voree, Wisconsin
Voree is an unincorporated community on the outskirts of present-day Burlington, in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States, in the town limits of Spring Prairie. It is best known as the historic and current headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , a denomination of the...
, 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...
, just outside present-day Burlington
Burlington, Wisconsin
Burlington is a city in Racine and Walworth counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, with the majority of the city located in Racine County. The population was 10,421 at the 2009 census.-History:...
, which his "Letter of Appointment
Letter of Appointment (Mormonism)
The Letter of Appointment was a controversial three-page document used by James J. Strang and his adherents in their efforts to prove that he was the designated successor to Joseph Smith, Jr., as the prophet and president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
" named as the new "gathering place" for the Latter Day Saints. In 1848, Strang moved his followers to Beaver Island in Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
, where he was proclaimed the "king" of his people in 1850. While his church suffered persecution there, it continued to grow, steadily gaining converts from other Latter Day Saint sects until Strang's assassination in 1856. His followers were subsequently driven from the island, and while most later disavowed him, a small but devout remnant still practices Strang's teachings today.
Childhood, education and conversion
James Jesse Strang was born March 21, 1813, in ScipioScipio, New York
Scipio is a town in Cayuga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,713 at the 2010 census. The town name was provided by a clerk with an interest in the classics....
, Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...
. He was the second of three children, and his parents had a good reputation in their community. James' mother was very tender with him as a consequence of delicate health, yet she required him to render an account of all his actions and words while absent from her. In a brief autobiography he wrote in 1855, Strang reported that he had attended grade school until age twelve, but that "the terms were usually short, the teachers inexperienced and ill qualified to teach, and my health such as to preclude attentive study or steady attendance." He estimated that his time in a classroom during those years totaled six months.
But none of this meant that Strang was illiterate or simple. Although his teachers "not unfrequently turned me off with little or no attention, as though I was too stupid to learn and too dull to feel neglect," Strang recalled that he spent "long weary days...upon the floor, thinking, thinking, thinking....my mind wandered over fields that old men shrink from, seeking rest and finding none till darkness gathered thick around and I burst into tears." He studied works by Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine
Thomas "Tom" Paine was an English author, pamphleteer, radical, inventor, intellectual, revolutionary, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States...
and the Comte de Volney, whose book Les Ruines exerted a significant influence on the future prophet.
As a youth, Strang kept a rather profound personal diary, written partly in a secret code that was not deciphered until over one hundred years after it was authored (by Strang's own grandson Mark Strang, a banker in Long Beach, California). This journal contains Strang's musings on a variety of topics, including his desire to "rival Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
or Napoleon" and his regret that by age nineteen, he had not yet become a general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
or member of the state legislature, which he saw as being essential by that point in his life to his quest for fame. However, Strang's diary equally reveals a sincere desire to be of service to his fellow man, together with agonized frustration at not knowing how he might do so as a penniless, unknown youth from upstate New York.
At age twelve, Strang was baptized a Baptist. He did not wish to follow his father's calling as a farmer, so he took up the study of law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
. Strang was admitted to the bar in New York
New 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...
at age 23 and later at other places where he resided. He became county Postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
and edited a local newspaper, the Randolph Herald. Later, in the midst of his myriad duties on Beaver Island, he would find time to found and publish the Daily Northern Islander, the first newspaper in northern Michigan.
Strang, who once described himself as a "cool philosopher" and a freethinker
Freethought
Freethought is a philosophical viewpoint that holds that opinions should be formed on the basis of science, logic, and reason, and should not be influenced by authority, tradition, or other dogmas...
, became a Baptist minister
Minister of religion
In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...
but left in February 1844 to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He quickly found favor with Joseph Smith, though they had known each other only a short time, and was baptized personally by him. Immediately ordained an Elder, Strang was sent forthwith at Smith's request to Wisconsin, to establish a Mormon stake at Voree
Voree, Wisconsin
Voree is an unincorporated community on the outskirts of present-day Burlington, in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States, in the town limits of Spring Prairie. It is best known as the historic and current headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , a denomination of the...
. Shortly after Strang's departure, Joseph Smith was murdered by an anti-Mormon mob in Carthage, Illinois
Carthage, Illinois
Carthage is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,725 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hancock County. Carthage is most famous for being the site of the murder of Joseph Smith in 1844.- History :...
.
Succession claim and notable early allies
Following Smith's demise, several men claimed the right to lead the Latter Day Saints. The most significant of these were Brigham Young, president of Smith's Twelve Apostles; Sidney RigdonSidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
, the sole surviving member of Smith's First Presidency; and James Strang. A power struggle ensued, and Young eventually led the bulk of Smith's followers to Utah
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
while Rigdon led his to Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. As a newcomer to the faith, Strang did not possess the name recognition enjoyed by his rivals, and so faced an "uphill" battle in his quest to be recognized as the heir to Smith's prophetic mantle. Though the Quorum of Twelve published a notice in the Times and Seasons
Times and Seasons
Times and Seasons was a 19th-century Latter Day Saint periodical published monthly or twice-monthly at Nauvoo, Illinois, from November 1839 to February 15, 1846...
of Strang's excommunication, Strang insisted that he had never received a legitimate trial. He equally asserted that the Twelve had no right to sit in judgment on him, as he was the lawful President of the church.
To back his claim, Strang produced a "Letter of Appointment" allegedly from Smith, carrying a Nauvoo postmark
Postmark
thumb|USS TexasA postmark is a postal marking made on a letter, package, postcard or the like indicating the date and time that the item was delivered into the care of the postal service...
and dated June 18, 1844. He furthermore testified that an angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
appointed him as Joseph Smith's successor at the time Smith died. Smith and Strang were some 200 miles (320 km) apart at the time, and Strang offered witnesses to affirm that he had made his announcement before news of Smith's demise was publicly available. Strang's letter is held today by Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. Although the postmark is legitimate, some modern analysts have asserted that Joseph Smith's signature on the third page is a forgery
Forgery
Forgery is the process of making, adapting, or imitating objects, statistics, or documents with the intent to deceive. Copies, studio replicas, and reproductions are not considered forgeries, though they may later become forgeries through knowing and willful misrepresentations. Forging money or...
. One former Strangite claimed that Strang's law partner conspired with Strang to fabricate his Letter of Appointment and the Voree Plates
Voree Plates
The Voree Plates, sometimes called The Record of Rajah Manchou of Vorito, or the Voree Record, were a set of three tiny metal plates allegedly discovered by James J. Strang in 1845 in Voree, near Burlington, Wisconsin...
, though no proof of this was ever produced.
John Whitmer
John Whitmer was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates...
and David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, Martin Harris and Hiram Page
Hiram Page
Hiram Page was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement and one of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Biography:...
, Apostles John E. Page
John E. Page
John Edward Page was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement.Born in 1799 in Trenton, New York, Page was the son of Ebenezer and Rachael Page. He was baptized into the Church of Christ, established by Joseph Smith, Jr., in Brownhelm, Ohio in August 1833 by missionary Emer Harris, brother...
, William E. M'Lellin, and William Smith
William Smith (Mormonism)
William Smith was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and one of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Smith was the eighth child of Joseph Smith, Sr...
, Smith's sisters, Nauvoo Stake President William Marks
William Marks (Mormonism)
William Marks was a leader in the early days of the Latter Day Saint movement and was a member of the First Presidency in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
, Bishop George Miller
George Miller (Latter Day Saints)
-External links:**...
, and Joseph Smith's mother, Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
, with others, accepted Strang at first. Lucy Smith wrote to one Reuben Hedlock: "I am satisfied that Joseph appointed J.J. Strang. It is verily so." According to Joseph Smith's brother William, all of his family (except for Hyrum and Samuel Smith
Samuel Harrison Smith
Samuel Harrison Smith was one of the younger brothers of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Samuel was a leader in his own right and a successful missionary. Smith is commonly regarded as the first Latter Day Saint missionary following the organization of the Church of...
's widows), initially endorsed Strang.
John C. Bennett
John Cook Bennett was an American physician and a ranking and influential—but short-lived—leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, who acted as second-in-command to Joseph Smith, Jr., for a brief period in the early 1840s....
, a physician and libertine
Libertine
A libertine is one devoid of most moral restraints, which are seen as unnecessary or undesirable, especially one who ignores or even spurns accepted morals and forms of behavior sanctified by the larger society. Libertines, also known as rakes, placed value on physical pleasures, meaning those...
who had enjoyed a less than stellar career as Joseph Smith's Assistant President
Assistant President of the Church
Assistant President of the Church was a position in the leadership hierarchy in the early days of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. The Assistant President was the second-highest authority in the church and was a member of the church's governing First Presidency...
and mayor of Nauvoo. Invited by Strang to join him in Voree, Bennett was instrumental in establishing a so-called "Halcyon Order of the Illuminati
Illuminati
The Illuminati is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically the name refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on May 1, 1776...
" there, with Strang as its "Imperial Primate." Eventually Bennett's profligate ways caught up with him, as in Nauvoo, and Strang expelled him in 1847. His "order" fell by the wayside and has no role in Strangism today, though it did lead to conflict between Strang and some of his associates.
From monogamist to polygamist
About 12,000 Latter Day Saints ultimately accepted Strang's claims. However, not all of these followed him to Beaver IslandBeaver Island (Lake Michigan)
Beaver Island is the largest island in Lake Michigan and part of the Beaver Island archipelago. Once home to a unique American monarchy, the island is now a popular tourist and vacation destination....
in Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
, where Strang's headquarters was moved in 1848. Most of his initial adherents, including all of those listed above (with the exception of George Miller, who remained loyal to Strang until death), would leave Strang's church before his demise. John E. Page departed in July 1849, accusing Strang of dictatorial tendencies and concurring with Bennett's furtive "Illuminati" order. Martin Harris had broken with Strang by January 1847, after a failed mission to England. Hiram Page and the Whitmers also left around this time.
Most defections, however, were due to Strang's seemingly abrupt "about-face" on the turbulent subject of polygamy. Vehemently opposed to the practice at first, Strang reversed course in 1849 to become one of its strongest advocates, marrying five wives (including his original spouse, Mary) and fathering fourteen children. Since many of his early disciples viewed him as a monogamous counterweight to Brigham Young's polygamous version of Mormonism, Strang's decision to embrace plural marriage proved costly to him and his organization. Strang defended his new tenet by claiming that, far from enslaving or demeaning women, polygamy would liberate and "elevate" them by allowing them to choose the best possible mate based upon any factors deemed important to them—even if that mate were already married to someone else. Rather than being forced to wed "corrupt and degraded sires" due to the scarcity of more suitable men, a woman could marry the man she saw as the most compatible to herself, the best candidate to father her children and give her the finest possible life, no matter how many other wives he might have.
Strang's first wife was Mary Perce, whom he married on November 20, 1836, when she was eighteen and he was twenty-three. They were separated in May 1851, though they remained legally married until Strang's death. His second wife, married on July 13, 1849, was nineteen-year old Elvira Eliza Field (who disguised herself at first as "Charlie J. Douglas," Strang's purported nephew, before revealing her true identity in 1850). Strang's third wife was thirty-one year old Betsy McNutt, whom he married on January 19, 1852; his fourth was nineteen-year old Sarah Adelia Wright, married on July 15, 1855. Ironically, decades after Strang's death, Sarah would divorce her second husband, one Dr. Wing, due to his interest in polygamy. Strang's last wife was eighteen-year old Phoebe Wright, cousin to Sarah, whom he wed on October 27, 1855, less than one year before his murder.
Sarah Wright described Strang as "a very mild-spoken, kind man to his family, although his word was law." She wrote that while each wife had her own bedroom, they shared meals and devotional time together with Strang and that life in their household was "as pleasant as possible." On the other hand, Strang and Phoebe Wright's daughter, Eugenia, wrote in 1936 that after only eight months of marriage, her mother had "begun to feel dissatisfied with polygamy, though she loved him [Strang] devotedly all her life."
Publications
Like Joseph Smith, James Strang reported numerous visions, unearthed and translated allegedly ancient metal plates using the Urim and ThummimUrim and Thummim
In ancient Israelite religion and culture, Urim and Thummim is a phrase from the Hebrew Scriptures or Torah associated with the Hoshen , divination in general, and cleromancy in particular...
, and claimed to have restored long-lost spiritual knowledge to humankind. Like Smith, he presented witnesses to authenticate the records he claimed to have received. Unlike Smith, however, Strang offered his plates to the public for examination. The non-Mormon Christopher Sholes
Christopher Sholes
Christopher Latham Sholes was an American inventor who invented the first practical typewriter and the QWERTY keyboard still in use today...
–inventor of the typewriter
Typewriter
A typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical device with keys that, when pressed, cause characters to be printed on a medium, usually paper. Typically one character is printed per keypress, and the machine prints the characters by making ink impressions of type elements similar to the pieces...
and editor of a local newspaper–perused Strang's "Voree Plates
Voree Plates
The Voree Plates, sometimes called The Record of Rajah Manchou of Vorito, or the Voree Record, were a set of three tiny metal plates allegedly discovered by James J. Strang in 1845 in Voree, near Burlington, Wisconsin...
", a minuscule brass chronicle Strang said he had been led to by a vision in 1845. Sholes offered no opinion on Strang's find, but described the would-be prophet as "honest and earnest" and opined that his followers ranked "among the most honest and intelligent men in the neighborhood." Strang published his translation of these plates as the "Voree Record," purporting to be the last testament of one "Rajah Manchou of Vorito," who had lived in the area centuries earlier and wished to leave a brief statement for posterity. While many scoffed, Strangites assert that two modern scholars have affirmed that the text on the plates appears to represent a genuine, albeit unknown, language. This assertion has not been verified by independent sources, however. The Voree Plates disappeared around 1900, and their current whereabouts are unknown.
Strang also claimed to have translated the "Plates of Laban" described in 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...
. This translation was published in 1851 as the Book of the Law of the Lord
Book of the Law of the Lord
The Book of the Law of the Lord is a book accepted as scripture by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints . It is alleged to be a translation by the Strangite prophet James Strang of the Plates of Laban, originally acquired by Nephi, a leading character in the early portion of The Book of...
, said to be the original Law given to Moses and mentioned in II Chronicles 34:14-15. Greatly expanded and republished in 1856, this book served as the constitution for Strang's spiritual kingdom on Beaver Island, and is still accepted as scripture by Strangites. One distinctive feature (besides its overtly monarchial tone) is its restoration of a "missing" commandment to the Decalogue
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Strang insisted that versions of the Decalogue found in Bibles used by other churches—including other Latter Day Saint churches—contain only nine commandments, not ten.
Doctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement...
, are nevertheless accepted as scripture by his followers. These concerned, among other things, Baptism for the Dead, the building of a temple in Voree, the standing of Sidney Rigdon, and an invitation for 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...
, eldest son of Joseph Smith, Jr., to take a position as Counselor
First Presidency (LDS Church)
The First Presidency is the presiding or governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, Henry B...
in Strang's First Presidency
First Presidency (LDS Church)
The First Presidency is the presiding or governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, Henry B...
. "Young Joseph" never accepted this calling and refused to have anything to do with Strang's organization. Strang also authored The Diamond, an attack on the claims of Sidney Rigdon and Brigham Young, and The Prophetic Controversy, ostensibly for Mrs. Martha Coray, co-author with Lucy Mack Smith of The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother
The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother
-References:...
. Coray, a partisan of Brigham Young's, had challenged "the vain usurper" to provide convincing evidence of his claims, and Strang attempted to oblige in this open letter addressed to her. Coray's reaction to Strang's missive has not been preserved.
Distinctive dogmas
Some of Strang's teachings differed substantially from those of other Latter Day Saint leaders, including Joseph Smith. For instance, Strang rejected the traditional Christian doctrines of the TrinityTrinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
and the Virgin Birth
Virgin Birth
The virgin birth of Jesus is a tenet of Christianity and Islam which holds that Mary miraculously conceived Jesus while remaining a virgin. The term "virgin birth" is commonly used, rather than "virgin conception", due to the tradition that Joseph "knew her not till she brought forth her firstborn...
of Jesus Christ together with the Mormon doctrine of "plurality of gods
Plurality of gods
Plurality of gods usually refers to a unique concept taught by Joseph Smith and several other leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is believed to be based on interpretations of the Bible, the Book of Abraham, the teachings of Joseph Smith, Jr...
." A monotheist, he insisted that there was but one eternal God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
of all the universe, the Father
God the Father
God the Father is a gendered title given to God in many monotheistic religions, particularly patriarchal, Abrahamic ones. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, life-giver, law-giver, and protector...
, and that "progression to godhood" (a doctrine allegedly taught by Joseph Smith toward the end of his life) was impossible. God had always been God, said Strang, and He was but one Person (not three, as in the traditional Christian Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
). Jesus Christ, said Strang, was the natural-born son of Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
and Joseph
Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
, who was chosen from before all time to be the Savior of mankind, but who had to be born as an ordinary mortal of two human parents (rather than being the offspring of the Father or the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
) to be able to fulfill his Messianic role. Strang claimed that the earthly Christ was in essence "adopted" as God's son at birth, and fully revealed as such during the Transfiguration
Transfiguration of Jesus
The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event reported in the New Testament in which Jesus is transfigured and becomes radiant upon a mountain. The Synoptic Gospels describe it, and 2 Peter 1:16-18 refers to it....
. After proving himself to God by living a perfectly sinless life, he was thus enabled to provide an acceptable sacrifice for the sins of men, prior to his resurrection
Resurrection appearances of Jesus
The major Resurrection appearances of Jesus in the Canonical gospels are reported to have occurred after his death, burial and resurrection, but prior to his Ascension. Among these primary sources, most scholars believe First Corinthians was written first, authored by Paul of Tarsus along with...
and ascension.
Furthermore, Strang denied that God could do all things, and insisted that some things were as impossible for Him as for us. Thus, he saw no essential conflict between science and religion, and while he never openly championed evolution
Introduction to evolution
Evolution is the process of change in all forms of life over generations, and evolutionary biology is the study of how evolution occurs. The biodiversity of life evolves by means of mutations, genetic drift and natural selection....
, he did state that God was limited in His power by the matter
Matter
Matter is a general term for the substance of which all physical objects consist. Typically, matter includes atoms and other particles which have mass. A common way of defining matter is as anything that has mass and occupies volume...
He was working with and by the eons of time required to "organize" and shape it. Strang spoke glowingly of a future generation who would "make religion a science," to be "studied by as exact rules as mathematicks." "The mouth of the Seer will be opened," he prophesied, "and the whole earth enlightened."
Musing at length on the nature of sin
Sin
In religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
and evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
, Strang wrote that of all things that God could give to man, He could never give him experience. Thus, if "free agency" were to be real, said Strang, humanity must be given the opportunity to fail and to learn from its own mistakes. The ultimate goal for each human being was to willingly conform oneself to the "revealed character" of God in every respect, preferring good to evil not out of a fear of punishment or any desire for reward, but rather solely "on account of the innate loveliness of undefiled goodness; of pure unalloyed holiness."
Practices
Strang believed strongly in the seventh-day SabbathSabbath in Seventh-day Adventism
Sabbath is an important part of the belief and practice of seventh-day Christians. These believers observe Sabbath on the seventh Hebrew day of the week, from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, in similar manner as in Judaism, rather than Lord's day on Sunday like a most forms of Christianity...
, and enjoined it in lieu of Sunday; the Strangite church continues this tradition. He advocated 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...
, and practiced it to a limited extent in Voree and on Beaver Island. He also introduced animal sacrifice
Animal sacrifice
Animal sacrifice is the ritual killing of an animal as part of a religion. It is practised by many religions as a means of appeasing a god or gods or changing the course of nature...
–not for sin, but as a part of Strangite celebration rituals. Animal sacrifices and baptisms for the dead are not currently practiced by the Strangite organization, though belief in each is still affirmed. Strang attempted to construct a temple in Voree, but was prevented from completing it due to the poverty and lack of cooperation of his followers. No "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...
" rituals comparable to those in the Utah LDS church appear to have existed among his followers. Eternal marriage
Celestial marriage
Celestial marriage is a doctrine of Mormonism, particularly The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and branches of Mormon fundamentalism.Within Mormonism, celestial marriage is an ordinance associated with a covenant that always...
formed a part of Strang's teaching, though he did not require it to be performed in a temple (as in the LDS church). Thus, such marriages are still contracted in Strang's church in the absence of any Strangite temple or "endowment" ceremony. Alcohol, tobacco, coffee and tea were prohibited, as in many Latter Day Saint denominations. Polygamy is no longer practiced by Strang's followers, though belief in its correctness is still affirmed.
Strang allowed women to hold the Priesthood offices of Priest and Teacher, unique among all Latter Day Saint factions during his lifetime. He welcomed African Americans into his church, and ordained at least two to the eldership. Strang also mandated conservation
Conservation movement
The conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is a political, environmental and a social movement that seeks to protect natural resources including animal, fungus and plant species as well as their habitat for the future....
of land and resources, requiring the building of parks and retention of large forests in his kingdom. He wrote an eloquent refutation of the "Solomon Spalding
Solomon Spalding
Solomon Spalding was the author of the Manuscript Story, a work of fiction about the lost civilization of the mound builders of North America...
theory" of the Book of Mormon's authorship, and defended the ministry and teachings of Joseph Smith–as he understood them.
Coronation and troubled reign on Beaver Island
Strang claimed that he was to occupy the office of kingMonarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
described in the Book of the Law of the Lord. He insisted that this authority was incumbent upon all holders of Joseph Smith's prophetic office from the beginning of time, and his followers believe that Smith himself was crowned secretly as "king" of the Kingdom of God
Council of Fifty
The Council of Fifty was a Latter Day Saint organization established by Joseph Smith, Jr...
before his murder. Strang was accordingly crowned in 1850 by his counselor and Prime Minister, an actor named George J. Adams
George J. Adams
George Jones Adams was the leader of a schismatic Latter Day Saint sect who led an ill-fated effort to establish a colony of Americans in Palestine. Adams was also briefly a member of the First Presidency in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
. About 300 people witnessed his coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
, for which he wore a bright red flannel robe topped by a white collar with black speckles. His tin crown
Crown (headgear)
A crown is the traditional symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents power, legitimacy, immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, honour and glory of life after death. In art, the crown may be shown being offered to...
was described in one account as "a shiny metal ring with a cluster of glass stars in the front." Strang also sported a breastplate
Breastplate
A breastplate is a device worn over the torso to protect it from injury, as an item of religious significance, or as an item of status. A breastplate is sometimes worn by mythological beings as a distinctive item of clothing.- Armour :...
and carried a wooden scepter. He "reigned" for six years, and the date of his coronation, July 8, is still mandated as one of the two most important dates in the Strangite church year (the other being April 6, the anniversary of the founding of Joseph Smith's church).
Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven is a foundational concept in the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.The term "Kingdom of God" is found in all four canonical gospels and in the Pauline epistles...
" prophesied in Scripture and destined to spread over all the earth. Nor did Strang ever say that his "kingdom" supplanted United States sovereignty over Beaver Island. However, since his sect was the main religious body on the isle, claiming the allegiance of most of its inhabitants, Strang often asserted authority even over non-Strangites on Beaver—which ultimately caused him and his followers a great deal of grief. Furthermore, he and many of his disciples were accused of forcibly appropriating property and revenue on the island, which made him few friends among the "gentiles."
On the other hand, Strang and his people lived in justified apprehension of what their nonmember neighbors, many of whom were bullying and threatening toward them, might do next. Strangites were often beaten up while going to the post office to collect their mail, and some of their homes were robbed and even seized by "gentiles" while Strangite men were away. On July 4, 1850, a drunken mob of fishermen vowed to kill the "Mormons" or drive them out, only to be awed into submission when Strang fired a cannon (which he had secretly acquired) at them. Competition for business and jobs added to tensions on the island, as did the increasing Strangite monopoly on local government, made sure after Beaver and adjacent islands were attached first to Emmet County
Emmet County, Michigan
Emmet County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 31,437. The county seat is Petoskey.The county was formed April 1, 1840, from Mackinac County. It was first named Tonedagana County and renamed Emmet County on March 8, 1843...
in 1853, then later organized into their own insular county of Manitou
Manitou County, Michigan
Manitou County was an insular county in the U.S. state of Michigan consisting of Beaver Island and its surrounding islands, together with the Manitou Islands and Fox Islands in Lake Michigan. The county existed from 1855 to 1895. The county seat was at St...
in 1855.
As a result of his coronation, together with lurid tales spread by George Adams (who had been excommunicated by Strang a few months after the ceremony), Strang was accused of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
, counterfeiting, trespass
Trespass
Trespass is an area of tort law broadly divided into three groups: trespass to the person, trespass to chattels and trespass to land.Trespass to the person, historically involved six separate trespasses: threats, assault, battery, wounding, mayhem, and maiming...
on government land, and theft
Theft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
, among other crimes. He was brought to trial in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, after President Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
ordered U.S. District Attorney George Bates to investigate the rumors about Strang and his colony. Strang's successful trial defense brought him considerable favorable press, which he leveraged to run for, and win, a seat in the Michigan state legislature as a Democrat in 1853. Facing a determined effort to deny him this seat due to the hostility of his enemies, he was permitted to address the legislature in his defense, after which the Michigan House of Representatives voted twice (first unanimously, then a second time by a 49-11 margin) to allow "King Strang" to join them.
In the 1853 legislative session, Strang introduced ten bills, five of which passed. The Detroit Advertiser, on February 10, 1853, wrote of Strang: "Mr. Strang’s course as a member of the present Legislature, has disarmed much of the prejudices which have previously surrounded him. Whatever may be said or thought of the peculiar sect of which he is the local head, I take pleasure in stating that throughout this session he has conducted himself with the degree of decorum and propriety which have been equaled by his industry, sagacity, good temper, apparent regard for the true interests of the people, and the obligations of his official oath." He was reelected in 1855, and did much to organize the upper portion of Michigan's lower peninsula into counties
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
and townships. Strang ardently fought the illegal practice of trading liquor to local Native American
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...
tribes. This made him many enemies among those non-Strangite residents of Beaver and nearby Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island is an island and resort area covering in land area, part of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The island was home to a Native American settlement before European...
who profited mightily from this illicit trade.
Assassination
James Strang made foes among his own people, too. One of these, Thomas Bedford, had been flogged for adulteryAdultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
on Strang's orders, and felt considerable resentment toward the "king." Another, Dr. H.D. McCulloch, had been excommunicated for drunkenness and other alleged misdeeds, after previously enjoying Strang's favor and several high offices in local government. These conspired against Strang with Alexander Wentworth and Dr. J. Atkyn, who had allegedly endeavored (unsuccessfully) to blackmail the Strangites into paying his numerous bad debts. A decree that female Strangites must wear "bloomers"
Bloomers (clothing)
Bloomers is a word which has been applied to several types of divided women's garments for the lower body at various times.-Fashion bloomers :...
only added fuel to the fire for Bedford and other malcontents on Beaver Island. Pistols were procured, and the four conspirators began several days of target practice while finalizing the details of their murderous plan.
Although Strang apparently knew that Bedford and the others were gunning for him, he seems not to have taken them very seriously. "We laugh with bitter scorn at all these threats," he wrote in the Northern Islander, just days before his murder. Strang's refusal to employ a bodyguard
Bodyguard
A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
or to carry a firearm or other weapon made him an easy target.
On Monday, June 16, 1856, Strang was waylaid around 7:00 PM on the dock at the harbor of St. James
St. James Township, Michigan
St. James Township is a civil township of Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 307.-History:...
, chief city of Beaver Island, by Wentworth and Bedford, who shot him in the back. All of this was carried out in full view of several officers and men of the , a U.S. Naval
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
vessel docked in the harbor. Not one person on board the ship made any effort to warn or to aid the intended victim.
Strang was hit three times: one bullet grazed his head, another lodged in his cheek and a third in his spine. One of the assassins then savagely pistol-whipped the fallen prophet before running aboard the nearby vessel with his companion, where both claimed sanctuary. Some accused Captain McBlair of the Michigan of complicity in, or at least foreknowledge of, the assassination plot, though no hard evidence of this was ever forthcoming."Apostle Chidester Announces James’ Death". MormonBeliefs.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-28. The so-called "King of Beaver Island" was taken to Voree, where he lived for three weeks, dying on July 9, 1856 at the age of 43. After refusing to deliver Bedford and Wentworth to the local sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
, McBlair transported them to Mackinac Island, where they were given a mock trial, fined $1.25, released, and then feted by the locals. None of the plotters was ever punished for his crimes.
Death of a kingdom
While Strang lingered on his deathbed in Voree, his enemies in Michigan were determined to remove his followers from Beaver Island. On July 5, 1856, four days before Strang finally died, on what Michigan historian Byron M. CutcheonByron M. Cutcheon
-See also:*List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: A–F-References:...
later called "the most disgraceful day in Michigan history," a drunken mob of "gentiles" from Mackinac and elsewhere descended upon the island and forcibly evicted every Strangite from it. Strang's subjects on the island—numbering approximately 2,600 persons—were herded onto hastily-commandeered steamers, most after being robbed of their money and other personal possessions, and unceremoniously dumped onto docks along the shores of Lake Michigan. A few moved back to Voree, while the rest scattered across the country.
Strang had refused to appoint a successor, telling his apostles to take care of their families as best they could, and await divine instruction. While his supporters endeavored to keep his church alive, Strang's unique dogma requiring his successor to be ordained by angels handicapped his church in its search for a new prophet. Lorenzo Dow Hickey, the last of Strang's apostles, emerged as an ad-hoc leader until his death in 1900, followed by Wingfield W. Watson
Wingfield W. Watson
Wingfield W. Watson was a religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints which was founded by Joseph Smith, Junior, and succeeded by James Jesse Strang He was a church records keeper. And some of his works have been compiled, showing the beliefs and actions of Strang...
, a High Priest in Strang's organization (until he died in 1922). Neither of these men ever claimed Strang's office or authority, however. Left without a prophet to guide them, most of Strang's members (including all of his wives) departed his church in the years after his murder. Most later joined the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
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"...
, which was established in 1860. A few, however, continue to carry on Strang's mission as best they can, while awaiting a new successor to their fallen founder.
Strang's disciples today are divided into two main factions; one is led by a Presiding High Priest, who does not claim to have the authority or priesthood office possessed by Joseph Smith or James Strang. The other claims that the first faction is in error, and that by incorporating in 1961, it lost its identity as a faithful continuation of Strang's organization. This second group claims that it is the sole true remnant of James Strang's church. Missionary work is no longer emphasized among the Strangites (unlike the LDS and many other Latter Day Saint sects), as they tend to believe that after three murdered prophets (Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith and James Strang) God closed His dispensation
Dispensation (period)
In certain religions, a dispensation is a distinctive arrangement or period in history that forms the framework through which God relates to mankind.-Protestant dispensations:...
to the "gentiles" of the West. Consequently, Strang's church has continued to dwindle until the present day. Current membership figures vary between 50 and 300 persons, depending upon the source consulted.
While proving a key player in the 1844 succession struggle, Strang's long-term influence on the Latter Day Saint movement was minimal. His doctrinal innovations had little impact outside of his church, and he was largely ignored until recent historians began to reexamine his life and career. For all his efforts, Strang's most vital (albeit unintended) contribution to the Latter Day Saint religion turned out to be providing some of the impetus behind creation of the Reorganized Church, which became a major rival to the Utah-based LDS Church and other Latter Day Saint groups–including his own.
Footnotes
The Strangites use no hyphen in their church title and capitalize the "D" in "Day", just as was done in Joseph Smith's church. David Whitmer and Martin Harris, two of the Three WitnessesThree Witnesses
The Three Witnesses were a group of three early leaders of the Latter Day Saint movement who signed a statement in 1830 saying that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon and that they had heard God's voice testifying that the book had...
, and Hiram Page and John Whitmer of the Eight Witnesses
Eight Witnesses
The Eight Witnesses were one of the two groups of witnesses who signed a statement stating that they had seen the golden plates which Joseph Smith, Jr. said was his source material for the book...
. John Page and William Smith were apostles at Smith's death; William M'Lellin had previously been an apostle, but was excommunicated in 1838. George Miller, who is mentioned in the LDS Doctrine & Covenants section 124: verses 20, 62 and 70. This organization is now called the Community of Christ
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"...
. It remains the second-largest church in the Latter Day Saint movement. Strangites still use these terms today, as do members of some other Latter Day Saint groups. No apostles currently remain in Strang's organization, as all Strangite apostles must be appointed by a Strangite prophet. The highest current office in Strang's church is that of High Priest (in the "incorporated" faction) or Elder (in the other). The first group does not have a website; the second has three: http://www.strangite.org, http://www.originalmormonbeliefs.com, and http://www.strangite.blogspot.com.
External links
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) Official website of one of the two main Strangite groups.
- Strangite Mormon Beliefs Another Strangite website containing extensive material on his life, death and teachings.
- Book of the Law of the Lord Edition of 1856, containing Strang's extensive notes (which do not appear in the original 1851 edition).
- Revelations of James J. Strang Website containing texts of several revelations issued by James J. Strang.
- James J. Strang newspapers Excellent site containing reprints of Strangite newspapers, including the Northern Islander.
- Assassination of a Michigan King Allows purchase of Strang biography of this title by Roger Van Noord.
- An account of Dr. J. Atkyn, Strang's photographer and later one of his assassins
- Society for Strang Studies Website of non-sectarian group dedicated to studying Strang's life and work.
- Michigan History: Moore, Charles. History of Michigan. Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Co., 1915. Vol. 1, pp. 374–376. Briefly mentions Strang as part of a larger collection on important Michigan figures.
- Clarke Historical Library: Strangite Mormons - Brief biography from Central Michigan UniversityCentral Michigan UniversityCentral Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
, which has a collection of letters and diaries written by Strang and his followers. - Articles about Wingfield Watson and James Strang, Wisconsin State Historical Society