R. C. Evans
Encyclopedia
Richard Charles Evans was a Canadian
apostle and member of the First Presidency
in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
(RLDS Church) who became the leader of a schism
atic sect
that separated from the RLDS Church in 1918.
Evans was born in St. Andrews in Argenteuil County
, Province of Canada
, in present-day Quebec
. On November 5, 1876, at the age of 15, Evans was baptized
in the Thames River
in Ontario
by RLDS Church preacher J. J. Cornish. In 1882, Evans became a priest in the church, and in 1884 and 1886 he became an elder and a seventy, respectively.
On April 12, 1897, at a general conference
of the RLDS Church, Evans was made an apostle and a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles
. On April 20, 1902, Evans became a counselor in the First Presidency to Joseph Smith III
, the Prophet–President of the RLDS Church. In 1909, Evans was released from the First Presidency and was ordained to the office of bishop. As a bishop, Evans was given a specific jurisdiction over the church in Canada. Evans had been upset considerably when Smith designated his son, Frederick M. Smith, as the foreordained successor to the church presidency in 1906. When Joseph Smith III died in 1914 and Frederick Smith took control of the church, Evans' frustration over being overlooked as a worthy successor continued to grow.
In 1918, Evans broke with the RLDS Church. Evans had complained about Prophet–President Frederick M. Smith's administrative style and the church's continuing denials that Latter Day Saint movement
founder Joseph Smith, Jr. had practiced and taught plural marriage
. A number of RLDS Church members in Toronto
followed Evans, and they began a church they called the Church of the Christian Brotherhood. Evans used some of the RLDS Church's money to fund the new church's activities. In 1919, the RLDS Church sued Evans in the Supreme Court of Ontario
to recover these funds; while the case was dismissed at trial, the church's appeal was successful and Evans' church was forced to return the funds to the RLDS Church. Shortly before the trial, Evans was excommunicated from the RLDS Church for apostasy
and mismanagement of church funds.
In 1920, Evans published a book explaining why he left the RLDS Church. He wrote that while the "Reorganized 'Mormon Church' does not teach or practice polygamy", the "great sin" of the church "is in denying that Joseph Smith, their prophet, seer and revelator, received revelations commanding the church to enter into that God dishonoring and woman debasing doctrine under pain of eternal damnation". Faced with these facts, Evans concluded that he "could no longer believe that God and Christ visited and conversed with Smith" and that he must have been a false prophet
. Although it was not central to his reasoning, Evans also mentioned that Frederick M. Smith was "neither a prophet, seer, revelator nor God's mouth-piece to the church, but is an autocrat, cruel and tricky, and selfish in his methods."
Evans died in Toronto from pneumonia
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
apostle and member of the First Presidency
First Presidency (Community of Christ)
The First Presidency of the Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is the church's highest-ranking priesthood quorum. It is composed of the president and two counselors, and they preside over the whole church under the principles of "theocratic...
in 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"...
(RLDS Church) who became the leader of a schism
Schism (religion)
A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
atic sect
Sect
A sect is a group with distinctive religious, political or philosophical beliefs. Although in past it was mostly used to refer to religious groups, it has since expanded and in modern culture can refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and...
that separated from the RLDS Church in 1918.
Evans was born in St. Andrews in Argenteuil County
Argenteuil County, Quebec
Argenteuil County is an historic county in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It was located on the Ottawa River between Gatineau and Montreal. The county seat was Lachute...
, Province of Canada
Province of Canada
The Province of Canada, United Province of Canada, or the United Canadas was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham in the Report on the Affairs of British North America following the Rebellions of...
, in present-day Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. On November 5, 1876, at the age of 15, Evans was baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
in the Thames River
Thames River (Ontario)
The Thames River is located in southwestern Ontario, Canada.The Thames flows west through southwestern Ontario, through the cities of Woodstock, London and Chatham to Lighthouse Cove on Lake St. Clair...
in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
by RLDS Church preacher J. J. Cornish. In 1882, Evans became a priest in the church, and in 1884 and 1886 he became an elder and a seventy, respectively.
On April 12, 1897, at a general conference
World Conference (Community of Christ)
World Conference is the highest legislative body in the Community of Christ and is empowered to act for the entire church. It operates according to a principle known as "common consent" and is presided over by the First Presidency...
of the RLDS Church, Evans was made an apostle and a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles
Council of Twelve Apostles (Community of Christ)
In the Community of Christ, The Council of Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy. They are disciples who hold the priesthood office of Apostle, and are responsible for the evangelistic witness of the church...
. On April 20, 1902, Evans became a counselor in the First Presidency to 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...
, the Prophet–President of the RLDS Church. In 1909, Evans was released from the First Presidency and was ordained to the office of bishop. As a bishop, Evans was given a specific jurisdiction over the church in Canada. Evans had been upset considerably when Smith designated his son, Frederick M. Smith, as the foreordained successor to the church presidency in 1906. When Joseph Smith III died in 1914 and Frederick Smith took control of the church, Evans' frustration over being overlooked as a worthy successor continued to grow.
In 1918, Evans broke with the RLDS Church. Evans had complained about Prophet–President Frederick M. Smith's administrative style and the church's continuing denials that 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...
founder Joseph Smith, Jr. had practiced and taught plural marriage
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
. A number of RLDS Church members in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
followed Evans, and they began a church they called the Church of the Christian Brotherhood. Evans used some of the RLDS Church's money to fund the new church's activities. In 1919, the RLDS Church sued Evans in the Supreme Court of Ontario
Supreme Court of Ontario
The Supreme Court of Ontario was a superior court of the Canadian province of Ontario. Now defunct, in 1989 the Courts of Justice Amendment Act, 1989 was enacted by the Government to create one large superior trial court for Ontario...
to recover these funds; while the case was dismissed at trial, the church's appeal was successful and Evans' church was forced to return the funds to the RLDS Church. Shortly before the trial, Evans was excommunicated from the RLDS Church for apostasy
Apostasy
Apostasy , 'a defection or revolt', from ἀπό, apo, 'away, apart', στάσις, stasis, 'stand, 'standing') is the formal disaffiliation from or abandonment or renunciation of a religion by a person. One who commits apostasy is known as an apostate. These terms have a pejorative implication in everyday...
and mismanagement of church funds.
In 1920, Evans published a book explaining why he left the RLDS Church. He wrote that while the "Reorganized 'Mormon Church' does not teach or practice polygamy", the "great sin" of the church "is in denying that Joseph Smith, their prophet, seer and revelator, received revelations commanding the church to enter into that God dishonoring and woman debasing doctrine under pain of eternal damnation". Faced with these facts, Evans concluded that he "could no longer believe that God and Christ visited and conversed with Smith" and that he must have been a false prophet
False prophet
In religion, a false prophet is one who falsely claims the gift of prophecy, or who uses that gift for evil ends. Often, someone who is considered a "true prophet" by some people is simultaneously considered a "false prophet" by others....
. Although it was not central to his reasoning, Evans also mentioned that Frederick M. Smith was "neither a prophet, seer, revelator nor God's mouth-piece to the church, but is an autocrat, cruel and tricky, and selfish in his methods."
Evans died in Toronto from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
.
Publications
- R.C. Evans (1909). Autobiography of Bishop R.C. Evans of the RLDS Church (Lamoni, Iowa: Herald Publishing House)
- —— (1920). Forty Years in the Mormon Church: Why I Left It! (Toronto: R.C. Evans)