Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Encyclopedia
The Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as The Righteous Branch, The Branch Church, The Peterson Group and Christ's Church, is a fundamentalist Mormon sect of the Latter Day Saint movement
. There are approximately 100 to 200 members, who mostly live seven miles west of the area of Beryl, Utah
on Utah State Route 56
, which is close to Modena, Utah
. The ranch property itself was part of the original Gerald Peterson, Sr. property outside of the area Cedar City
; however it is not part of either incorporated city. Additionally, a large number of sect members that have relocated near Tonopah, Nevada
in the Big Smoky Valley
.
, died January 1981). Peterson claimed that after Rulon C. Allred
(leader of the Apostolic United Brethren
(AUB) from 1954–77) was murdered by followers of Ervil LeBaron
, Allred appeared to him and instructed him to preside over the presiding keys of the priesthood.
As with other Mormon fundamentalist groups, the Branch believed that a priesthood organization and council existed outside of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The keys of the priesthood were believed to have passed from John Woolley to Joseph Musser to Rulon Allred and then to Gerald Peterson, Sr. A key distinction between the Righteous Branch and the LDS Church is that when in 1978 the LDS Church gave the priesthood to black people
, the Righteous Branch believed this was the final act of apostasy. Peterson relieved the LDS Church's First Presidency
from its duties and reorganized a new church body with a new temple. This was done on April 6, 1978, two months before the LDS Church's First Presidency claimed to have received inspiration to ordain people of African descent. Peterson claimed that he had foreknowledge of this coming apostasy through revelation. It was organized in the same manner as the LDS Church with a First Presidency
, Quorum of Twelve Apostles, Presiding Bishopric and other priesthood and auxiliary organizations, with full responsibility for all the functions of the original church. In contrast, other Mormon fundamentalist groups such as the AUB still believe the LDS Church to be the one true church, but that some functions of the priesthood continue with its organization (such as plural marriage
and the United Order
), whereas the keys of missionary work and genealogy primarily lie with the LDS Church.
After the death of Peterson on January 9, 1981, leadership was passed to his son Gerald W. Peterson, Jr., who then moved the headquarters of the sect to St. George, Utah
.
A pamphlet published by Christ's Church Inc. (the legally incorporated name of the Righteous Branch) http://ldsmovement.pbworks.com/w/page/15644186/Christ's-Church%2C-Inc entitled "A Broken Heart & Contrite Spirit" gives a very brief history of the above events http://gcje.net/shepherd/bhacs.htm. While this is not an "official" Branch website, there are no official online sources of information for the Branch so fair use must dictate linking to other known contact information for the group until such time as an official website becomes available for the public to visit.
There is copyrighted material identified as coming from Christ's Church, Inc. on Gerald Jones' website, however, Jones does not explicitly identify himself as an Apostle in that organization. Even were he an apostle, he may not be able to speak on behalf of the entire quorum of apostles (the governing body of his faith).
Regarding Peterson Sr.'s claim to succeed Allred, the Branch claims that Peterson Sr. was Allred's "worthy senior" chosen to succeed him, supporting that statement with a claim that Peterson was ordained a patriarch and a "high priest apostle" (the latter being a priesthood office unique to some Mormon fundamentalist groups). There is no evidence that Peterson Sr. was a member of Allred's Priesthood Council and no ordination date has been provided.
According to the site's glossary http://www.cymple.info/glossary.htm CYMPLE practices the Mormon fundamentalist practice of "united order." "The latter day independent patriarchal consecrated united order that hosts CYM, the congress of independent consecrated united orders. It is also dedicated for the preservatons and advancement of the covenants and values of this, the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times." According to this glossary, CYMPLE is a "restorationist" church as it accepts Joseph Smith's restoration. "The latter day restoration of the Gospel and Priesthood through Divine revelation to living prophets and apostles, beginning in 1820, when Yoseph Testator received direct testimony of the Father and Son, being followed by the incremental restoration of all principles spoken by the mouths of all the holy prophets since the days of Adam, as a forerunner to the establishment of the Kingdom of God on Earth and the dawn of the Millenial reign of Messiah."
These members who have departed believed that Gerald Sr. and the Prophet Joseph Smith also guide Martin in other independent callings.
(polygamy
) and teaches the Adam–God doctrine and the Curse of Cain doctrine. Adherents are modern in their dress and do not allow women under 18 to be sealed into plural marriages.
The Righteous Branch built a pyramid-shaped temple on a "sacred hill" near Modena, Utah
, making it one of seven Latter Day Saint denominations
to have built a temple.
in Tonopah, Nevada
. Peterson served as a medical officer in the United States Army and received training there before deciding to practice in the private sector.
Gerald Peterson, Sr. also practiced homeopathic medicine.
Prominent Mormon fundamentalist Tom Green was a member and apostle of the Righteous Branch for a short time.
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...
. There are approximately 100 to 200 members, who mostly live seven miles west of the area of Beryl, Utah
Beryl, Utah
Beryl is an unincorporated community in Iron County, Utah, United States. It has one school, Escalante Valley Elementary. Originally established as a Union Pacific Railroad siding, Beryl was named in 1901 after the semi-precious stone beryl found in the area....
on Utah State Route 56
Utah State Route 56
State Route 56 is a highway completely within Iron County in southwestern Utah going from the Utah/Nevada border to Cedar City.-Route description:...
, which is close to Modena, Utah
Modena, Utah
Modena is an unincorporated community in far western Iron County, Utah, United States, near the Nevada border. It lies along State Route 56 west of the city of Parowan, the county seat of Iron County. Its elevation is 5,476 feet...
. The ranch property itself was part of the original Gerald Peterson, Sr. property outside of the area Cedar City
Cedar City, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,527 people, 6,486 households, and 4,682 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,021.8 people per square mile . There were 7,109 housing units at an average density of 353.9 per square mile...
; however it is not part of either incorporated city. Additionally, a large number of sect members that have relocated near Tonopah, Nevada
Tonopah, Nevada
Tonopah is a census-designated place located in and the county seat of Nye County, Nevada. It is located at the junction of U.S. Routes 6 and 95 approximately mid-way between Las Vegas and Reno....
in the Big Smoky Valley
Big Smoky Valley
The Big Smoky Valley is a landform of the Tonopah Basin between the Toiyabe and Toquima mountain ranges. It is about 100 miles in length, and is known by other names : including Great Smoky Valley, Smokey Valley, Smoky Valley, Wen-A-No-Nu-Fee Valley, and Won-A-No-Nu-Fee Valley. The U.S...
.
History
The Righteous Branch was organized on April 6, 1978, by Gerald Wilbur Peterson, Sr. (born October 8, 1917 in Lusk, WyomingLusk, Wyoming
Lusk is a town in Niobrara County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 1,447 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Niobrara County. The town was laid out in June 1886 by engineers working on the Wyoming Central Railway. It was named after Frank S...
, died January 1981). Peterson claimed that after Rulon C. Allred
Rulon C. Allred
Rulon Clark Allred was a homeopathic physician and chiropractor in Salt Lake City and the leader of what is now the Apostolic United Brethren, a breakaway sect of polygamous Mormon fundamentalists in Utah, Colorado, and Arizona, United States...
(leader of the Apostolic United Brethren
Apostolic United Brethren
The Apostolic United Brethren is a polygamous Mormon fundamentalist church within the Latter Day Saint movement. The sect is not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
(AUB) from 1954–77) was murdered by followers of Ervil LeBaron
Ervil LeBaron
Ervil Morrell LeBaron was the leader of a polygamous Mormon fundamentalist group who ordered the killings of many of his opponents, using the religious doctrine of blood atonement to justify the murders...
, Allred appeared to him and instructed him to preside over the presiding keys of the priesthood.
As with other Mormon fundamentalist groups, the Branch believed that a priesthood organization and council existed outside of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The keys of the priesthood were believed to have passed from John Woolley to Joseph Musser to Rulon Allred and then to Gerald Peterson, Sr. A key distinction between the Righteous Branch and the LDS Church is that when in 1978 the LDS Church gave the priesthood to black people
1978 Revelation on Priesthood
The 1978 Revelation on Priesthood was a revelation to the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which reversed a long-standing policy excluding men of black African descent from the priesthood.-Background:...
, the Righteous Branch believed this was the final act of apostasy. Peterson relieved the LDS Church'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...
from its duties and reorganized a new church body with a new temple. This was done on April 6, 1978, two months before the LDS Church's First Presidency claimed to have received inspiration to ordain people of African descent. Peterson claimed that he had foreknowledge of this coming apostasy through revelation. It was organized in the same manner as the LDS Church with a First Presidency
First Presidency
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency was the highest governing body in the Latter Day Saint church established by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1832, and is the highest governing body of several modern Latter Day Saint denominations...
, Quorum of Twelve Apostles, Presiding Bishopric and other priesthood and auxiliary organizations, with full responsibility for all the functions of the original church. In contrast, other Mormon fundamentalist groups such as the AUB still believe the LDS Church to be the one true church, but that some functions of the priesthood continue with its organization (such as 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...
and the United Order
United Order
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the United Order was one of several 19th century church collectivist programs. Early versions of the Order beginning in 1831 attempted to implement the Law of Consecration, a form of Christian communism, modeled after the New Testament church which had "all things...
), whereas the keys of missionary work and genealogy primarily lie with the LDS Church.
After the death of Peterson on January 9, 1981, leadership was passed to his son Gerald W. Peterson, Jr., who then moved the headquarters of the sect to St. George, Utah
St. George, Utah
St. George is a city located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Utah, and the county seat of Washington County, Utah. It is the principal city of and is included in the St. George, Utah, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is 119 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 303 miles ...
.
A pamphlet published by Christ's Church Inc. (the legally incorporated name of the Righteous Branch) http://ldsmovement.pbworks.com/w/page/15644186/Christ's-Church%2C-Inc entitled "A Broken Heart & Contrite Spirit" gives a very brief history of the above events http://gcje.net/shepherd/bhacs.htm. While this is not an "official" Branch website, there are no official online sources of information for the Branch so fair use must dictate linking to other known contact information for the group until such time as an official website becomes available for the public to visit.
There is copyrighted material identified as coming from Christ's Church, Inc. on Gerald Jones' website, however, Jones does not explicitly identify himself as an Apostle in that organization. Even were he an apostle, he may not be able to speak on behalf of the entire quorum of apostles (the governing body of his faith).
Regarding Peterson Sr.'s claim to succeed Allred, the Branch claims that Peterson Sr. was Allred's "worthy senior" chosen to succeed him, supporting that statement with a claim that Peterson was ordained a patriarch and a "high priest apostle" (the latter being a priesthood office unique to some Mormon fundamentalist groups). There is no evidence that Peterson Sr. was a member of Allred's Priesthood Council and no ordination date has been provided.
Offshoot
Roger Martin, a former member of the Branch First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, organized a congregation known as Covenant Yeshua Messiah Patriarchal Lineage Ephraim (CYMPLE) http://www.cymple.info which has been referred to with the moniker "The Twig" as it is an offshoot of "The Branch." While Martin's name does not appear on the main site page, a whois registry search for that web domain lists a Roger Martin of Provo, Utah as the registered website owner http://network-tools.com/default.asp?prog=whois&host=cymple.infoAccording to the site's glossary http://www.cymple.info/glossary.htm CYMPLE practices the Mormon fundamentalist practice of "united order." "The latter day independent patriarchal consecrated united order that hosts CYM, the congress of independent consecrated united orders. It is also dedicated for the preservatons and advancement of the covenants and values of this, the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times." According to this glossary, CYMPLE is a "restorationist" church as it accepts Joseph Smith's restoration. "The latter day restoration of the Gospel and Priesthood through Divine revelation to living prophets and apostles, beginning in 1820, when Yoseph Testator received direct testimony of the Father and Son, being followed by the incremental restoration of all principles spoken by the mouths of all the holy prophets since the days of Adam, as a forerunner to the establishment of the Kingdom of God on Earth and the dawn of the Millenial reign of Messiah."
These members who have departed believed that Gerald Sr. and the Prophet Joseph Smith also guide Martin in other independent callings.
Doctrines and practices
The Righteous Branch practices plural marriagePlural 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...
(polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
) and teaches the Adam–God doctrine and the Curse of Cain doctrine. Adherents are modern in their dress and do not allow women under 18 to be sealed into plural marriages.
The Righteous Branch built a pyramid-shaped temple on a "sacred hill" near Modena, Utah
Modena, Utah
Modena is an unincorporated community in far western Iron County, Utah, United States, near the Nevada border. It lies along State Route 56 west of the city of Parowan, the county seat of Iron County. Its elevation is 5,476 feet...
, making it one of seven Latter Day Saint denominations
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...
to have built a temple.
Prominent members
Gerald Peterson, Jr. has a doctorate of osteopathic medicine and practices homeopathyHomeopathy
Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine in which practitioners claim to treat patients using highly diluted preparations that are believed to cause healthy people to exhibit symptoms that are similar to those exhibited by the patient...
in Tonopah, Nevada
Tonopah, Nevada
Tonopah is a census-designated place located in and the county seat of Nye County, Nevada. It is located at the junction of U.S. Routes 6 and 95 approximately mid-way between Las Vegas and Reno....
. Peterson served as a medical officer in the United States Army and received training there before deciding to practice in the private sector.
Gerald Peterson, Sr. also practiced homeopathic medicine.
Prominent Mormon fundamentalist Tom Green was a member and apostle of the Righteous Branch for a short time.
See also
- List of Mormon fundamentalist churches
- List of Mormon fundamentalist leaders
External links
- Additional photographs of the sects property.
- http://gcje.net/shepherd/ - An unofficial Branch website by Apostle Gerald Jones, Desert Spring Lamas, "A Shepherd of Southern Utah
- http://www.flickr.com/photos/lumpy1277/43812341/in/photostream/lightbox/ Wide view of the ranch property, with the temple visible in the background