The Book of the Law of the Lord is a sacred book of scripture used by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite), a sect of the Latter Day Saint movement. It is alleged to be a translation by the Strangite prophetJames Strang of the brass Plates of Laban, which were originally acquired by Nephi, a leading figure in the early portion of the Book of Mormon.[1] Strang claimed to have translated them using the Urim and Thummim, which Mormons believe was used by Joseph Smith to translate the Book of Mormon from ancient gold plates. Strang's followers believe that while the Book of the Law was lost to the Old World during Israel's captivity in foreign lands, a copy was included in the plates that the ancient prophet Nephi took with him to the New World.
The book contains an elaborate constitution for a theocratic kingdom, in which the prophet-leader of the Latter Day Saint church equally rules as king over God's kingdom on earth. The expanded version also contains various other revelations and teachings added by Strang to explain it.
The Book of the Law of the Lord was not viewed as a sacred text by any Mormon denomination other than the Strangite church, until April 6, 2019 when the Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship voted it in as canon.[2]
James J. Strang was a lawyer and newspaper editor from New York who converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1844. Shortly after his baptism, Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, was murdered by a mob. Strang was one of three individuals who claimed the leadership role after Smith's death, but as a recent convert he did not possess the name recognition among rank-and-file Mormons held by his rivals Brigham Young and Sidney Rigdon. Hence, he faced an uphill battle in his quest to be recognized as the heir to Smith's prophetic mantle.
To advance his cause, Strang asserted that unlike Rigdon and Young, he had hard evidence of his prophetic calling. In September 1845, he announced the discovery of the Voree Record. This was presented as the final testament of Rajah Manchou of Vorito, an ancient inhabitant of the area, engraved on three brass plates that Strang dug up near Voree, Wisconsin. However, Strang's claims to possession of divinely-revealed ancient records, and the ability to correctly translate them, did not end there. In 1851, he proclaimed the publication of the Book of the Law of the Lord, a far more substantial work.
Alleged provenance of the book
Strang explained that the Book of the Law, as it is often called, was "kept in the Ark of the Covenant, and was held too sacred to go into the hands of strangers." However, "when the Septuagint translation was made, the Book of the Law was kept back, and ... lost to the Jewish nation in the time that they were subject to foreign powers." Thus, "the various books in the Pentateuch, containing abstracts of some of the laws, have been read instead of it, until even the existence of the book has come to be a matter of doubt."[3] While it is not stated directly, this implies that this book is the original Torah.
Strang did not claim that his 1851 edition was the complete Book of the Law mentioned in the Hebrew scriptures, but rather that it contained only selections that were pertinent for running the church and kingdom in the modern era. His 1856 expanded edition contains the same translation as the 1851 edition, but with added essays written by Strang and several modern revelations. [4] Strangites also identify the Book of the Law with the "Stick of Judah" mentioned in Ezekiel 37:19.[5] While other Latter Day Saint sects generally view the "Stick of Judah" as the Canonical Bible, Strangites assert that it refers primarily to this lost book. [6]
Witnesses
Seven witnesses testified to having seen and handled the plates that Strang claimed to possess. They described them as being eighteen in number, each measuring approximately seven and three-eighths inches wide, by nine inches long. Their brazen surfaces were "occasionally embellished with beautiful pictures," and all appeared to be of "beautiful antique workmanship, bearing a striking resemblance to the ancient oriental languages."[7]
The witnesses of the plates were: Samuel Graham, Samuel P. Bacon, Warren Post, Phineas Wright, Albert N. Hosmer, Ebenezer Page, and Jehiel Savage.[7] Wright[8] and Post[9] served as apostles in Strang's church. Post wrote in his journal that the plates weighed approximately six pounds.[10] Although some of these witnesses later left Strang's church, none of them is known to have ever denied their testimony as given in the Book of the Law.[11]
Allegations of witness denials
Although there is no evidence to support them, several opponents from other Latter Day Saint churches have sought to cast doubt on the witness testimonies by claiming to have heard the witnesses deny their testimonies decades before. LDS Church apologist Daniel C. Peterson claims, without citing a source, that Samuel Graham admitted to helping Strang fabricate the plates.[12] Hearsay testimonies were commonly asserted to discredit the leaders of rival churches, including both James Strang and Joseph Smith.
In addition, Chauncy Loomis, in an 1888 letter to Joseph Smith III, reported that Samuel Bacon discovered "fragments of those plates which Strang made the Book of the Law from" hidden in the ceiling of Strang's house, prompting Bacon to immediately relocate off Beaver Island and abandon the Strangite church.[13] However, there are no journal entries, letters, or any other corroborating witnesses to support this claim, and Loomis did not tell anyone for over 30 years, casting further doubt on the story. Additionally, when Strang died, the Mormons' enemies from nearby Mackinac forced the Saints to leave Beaver Island and moved into their houses, and no one ever reported finding plate fragments during subsequent renovations.
Strang claimed to have returned the brass plates to the angel after completing the translation in 1851, much like his predecessor did with the gold plates, and to this day, no plates or plate fragments from them have ever been found.
Editions of 1851 and 1856
The Book of the Law of the Lord was published in two separate editions during Strang's lifetime. The first edition of 1851 contained only eighty pages and consisted of material translated directly from the Plates of Laban, with five exceptions: three revelations given to Strang, and two sections written "by inspiration of God."[14]
In contrast, the edition of 1856 comprised 320 pages. It included all of the text in the 1851 edition, plus ten new chapters and a series of notes added by Strang to explain the text.[15] The 1856 edition is the one generally used by Strangites today. It was never bound with a title page or preface; subsequent reprints have used the title page, testimony and preface from the 1851 edition.[16] In fact, the 1856 edition was not bound at all until after Strang's death, as he was assassinated before this was completed. Its uncut sheets had to be rescued from an anti-Mormon mob by Strang's disciples.[17]
Both editions of the Book of the Law are dated according to the year of Strang's reign, he having been crowned "king" of his church on Beaver Island in 1850. Hence the 1851 edition is annotated "A. R. I," while the 1856 edition carries the date "A. R. VI."[18]
Monarchy and priesthood
The most distinctive element of the Book of the Law is its overtly monarchial tone. Also of interest are the singular subdivisions Strang makes within the Melchizedek priesthood, which his book refers to as "The Priesthood of an endless life," and the Aaronic priesthood, referred to as "the Priesthood of life."[19]
In the Melchizedek priesthood, Strang enumerates two "orders," that of "apostles," and that of "priests."[19]
"Apostles" are subdivided into four "degrees:"
The Prophet/President of the Strangite church is openly referred to throughout the book as a "King," rather than as a "President" (as under Joseph Smith).[20]
His Counselors are designated as "Viceroys." The viceroys are also referred to as "kings," though this does not indicate a share in the unique royal dignity accorded to the President/King.[21]
Strang's Twelve Apostles are named as "Princes in his Kingdom forever."[22] The leader of Strang's Apostles is designated as "Prince and Grand Master of the Seventies."[23]
A quorum of "Evangelists" is established, to be Apostles to a single "nation, kindred, tongue or people"—unlike the Twelve, who were sent to all nations. Seven Evangelists formed a quorum, and Strang noted that such a body had never been organized "in this dispensation."[24] This priesthood office was unique to the Strangite organization, and does not correspond in any way to the office of evangelist or patriarch found in some other Latter Day Saint churches.
"Priests" are subdivided into two "degrees:"
High Priests were to include "all inferiour Kings, Patriarchs, or heads of tribes, and Nobles, or heads of clans."[25] Furthermore, Strang continued, "They who hold it are called Sons of God."[26] From this group, said the Book of the Law, the king was to select "counsellors, judges and rulers."[26]
The "degree" of Elders included both the offices of Seventy and Elder as generally constituted in Joseph Smith's church.[27]
In the Aaronic priesthood, Strang enumerates three "orders:"[28]
Priests were to teach, preach and baptize, but not (as set out in the Doctrine and Covenants) to bless the sacrament; that was reserved to the High Priests of the Melchizedek Priesthood.[29] They were subdivided into two "courses," one of which (the Singers) was opened to women:
"Sacrificators," who were to kill sacrifices in accordance with appropriate provisions of the Book of the Law [see below under "Animal sacrifice"], and
"Singers," who were to sing during the various services to be held in Strangite temples (no such temple was ever constructed by the Strangites, nor were its services ever apparently composed).
Teachers were not merely to instruct in spiritual matters, but secular ones as well; they were to staff schools throughout Strang's kingdom.[30] This office, like the office of Priest (Singer) was opened to women, and was subdivided into five degrees:[31]
Rabboni,
Rabbi,
Doctor,
Ruler, and
Teacher.
Deacons were to serve as "Stewards and keepers of the King’s prisons, and Stewards of the King’s Courts."[32] They were subdivided into three "degrees:"[31]
Marshals,
Stewards, and
Ministers.
In addition, a "King's Council" and a "King's Court" were established.[33] While no direct link is made between the King's Court and the "High Council" established in the Doctrine and Covenants,[34] certain parallels exist, such as requiring all members to hold the High Priesthood, and limiting their number to twelve.[35]
Although Strang briefly enjoyed the services of apostle William Smith as "Chief Patriarch" of his church,[36] he makes no mention of this office anywhere in his book.
The Decalogue
Another unique feature of the Book of the Law is its version of the Decalogue, the "Ten Commandments" given to Moses on Sinai.[37] Strang's rendering is different from any other Jewish, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Islamic or Protestant version, for it offers a commandment none of the others has: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."[38] In his "Note on the Decalogue,"[39] Strang asserted that no other version of the Decalogue contains more than nine commandments, and speculates that his fourth commandment was lost perhaps as early as Josephus's time (circa AD 37–100).
Ordination of women
As noted above, the Book of the Law opened two priesthood offices to women: Priest and Teacher. While only the "course" of "Singer" in the office of Priest was open to females,[29] all five "degrees" in the office of Teacher were available.[31] Furthermore, they could serve as "leaders" of the Singers.[31] Strang ordained women to these ministries as early as 1851, and permitted them to lecture in his School of the Prophets by 1856.[40] In contrast, no other major Latter Day Saint faction opened their priesthood to women until the Community of Christ did so in 1984. Women are still barred from the LDS Church priesthood today.
Animal sacrifice
Animal sacrifice was instituted in the Book of the Law, both for forgiveness of sins[41] and as a part of Strangite celebration rituals. However, given the prohibition on sacrifices for sin contained in 3 Nephi 9:19–20, Strang did not require sin offerings. Rather, he focused on sacrifice as an element of religious celebration,[42] especially the commemoration of his own coronation as king (July 8, 1850).[43] The head of every house, from the king to his lowest subject, was to offer "a heifer, or a lamb, or a dove. Every man a clean beast, or a clean fowl, according to his household."[44]
The killing of sacrifices was a prerogative of Strangite Priests,[45] but female Priests were specifically barred from participating in this aspect of the priestly office.[29]
"Firstfruits" offerings were also demanded of all Strangite agricultural harvests.[46] Animal sacrifices are no longer practiced by the Strangites, though belief in their correctness is still required.
Monotheism and the vocation of Jesus Christ
Some of the teachings in the Book of the Law differed substantially from those held by other Mormon sects. For instance, in his "Note on the Sacrifice of Christ"[47] and "The True God,"[48] Strang rejected both the traditional Christian doctrine of the virgin birth of Jesus and the Mormon doctrine of the Godhead. He insisted that there was but one eternal God, the Father, and that progression to godhood, a doctrine taught by Joseph Smith in the King Follett sermon, was impossible. God had always been God, said Strang, and he was one person (not three, as in the traditional Christian Trinity).[49]
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 begotten by the Father or the Holy Spirit) to be able to truly fulfill his Messianic role.[50] Strang claimed that the earthly Christ was in essence "adopted" as God's son at birth, and fully revealed as such during the Transfiguration.[51] After proving himself to God by living a perfectly sinless life, he was enabled to provide an acceptable sacrifice for the sins of men, prior to his resurrection and ascension.[52]
Strang denied that God could do all things, and insisted that some things were as impossible for him as for us.[53] 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 both the matter he was working with and by the eons of time required to "organize" and shape it.[54] 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," Strang prophesied, "and the whole earth enlightened."[55]
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.[56] Thus, if free will 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 any fear of punishment or desire for reward, but rather "on account of the innate loveliness of undefiled goodness; of pure unalloyed holiness."[57]
Other distinctive teachings
The Book of the Law taught the seventh-day Sabbath, and commanded it in lieu of Sunday.[58] It also accredits baptism for the dead, but on a much more limited scale than that currently practiced by the LDS Church.[59]Baptisms for the dead are not performed by the Strangites today, although belief in the doctrine is still maintained.
Eternal marriage is taught in the Book of the Law, though it is not required to be performed in a temple.[60] Strangite Priests, Elders, High Priests or Apostles may all perform this ceremony.[61] Eternal marriages are still contracted in the Strangite church today.
Oaths are taken very seriously in the Book of the Law, and severe spiritual penalties are forewarned upon all who break their solemn word, once given.[62]
The Book of the Law permits not only the blessing of others, but cursing, as well.[63] Cursing is not to be done in anger, nor indiscriminately; rather, it is only to be "invoked on such as, on deliberate and candid thought, are found condemned to them by the Law of God; and then the curse should be invoked as in the presence of God, the searcher of hearts; conscious that whosoever curses in the bitterness of his ... corrupt heart, and not in the light of God’s truth, the curse will return upon him."[64] "Maledictions" are also to be performed by Strangite leaders upon "hereticks, schismaticks, and those guilty of gross and abominable immoralities, and acts of great cruelty and wickedness."[sic][65] The Strangite practice of "maledictions" is comparable to the "anathemas" pronounced in the New Testament and by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.
Conservation of forests and resources is mandated in the Book of the Law.[66] Groves of trees were to be maintained upon each farm, and in each village and town. Farms and cities without trees were required to plant them, and also to establish parklands so that "the aged and the young may go there to rest and to play."[67]
Strangites are prohibited by the Book of the Law from dressing ostentatiously. Various (today mostly obsolete) styles are banned,[68] though allowance is made for those who are "sojourning among Gentiles" to "imitate, to some moderate extent, their foolish and ridiculous styles, to avoid impertinent observations."[69]
The Book of the Law sanctions marriage only between persons who are not impotent, deformed, of reduced stature ("a dwarf"),[70] or mentally handicapped. "The same means which will improve a breed of cattle," Strang wrote, "will improve a race of men."[71]
Polygamy
Plural marriage is sanctioned, though not expressly commanded, in the Book of the Law. The applicable text reads: "Thou shalt not take unto thee a multitude of wives disproportioned to thy inheritance, and thy substance: nor shalt thou take wives to vex those thou hast; neither shalt thou put away one to take another."[72] Any wife already married to the prospective polygamist was given the right to express her opinion, and even to object, but not to veto the marriage.[72] This passage seems to offer any aggrieved wife an appeal to the "Judges," but how this was to be carried out is not made clear. Women, on the other hand, were not permitted to marry multiple husbands.
Strang's defense of polygamy was rather novel. He claimed that, far from enslaving or demeaning women, it liberated and "elevated" 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.[73] Rather than being forced to wed "corrupt and degraded sires" due to the scarcity of more suitable men, a woman could wed the one she saw as the most compatible to herself, the best candidate to father her children and the man who could give her the best possible life, even if he already had wives. Strangites did not approve of having more wives than a man could provide for, both monetarily and in time and affection, thus they disapproved of the practices of the LDS Church.[74]
The practice of plural marriage has never been officially proscribed in the Strangite church, though no Strangites are known to be practicing it today.[75] Only 22 men in Strang's church ever contracted plural marriages, with most of them taking only one additional wife.[76] Strang took four additional wives,[77] the most of any member.
Polygamy was practiced by a few Strangites up to the 1880s. Because United States federal and state laws prohibit the practice, Strangites have abandoned polygamy in favor of observing the divine injunction to obey "the law of the land".[78] However, belief in plural marriage's correctness is still maintained.[76]
Strangites reject the LDS Church's 1843 polygamy revelation,[79] regarding it as a forgery from 1852 that was never received or approved by Joseph Smith.[76]
The Standard Works of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are the four books that currently constitute its open scriptural canon. The four books of the standard works are:
In Mormonism, the Melchizedek priesthood, also referred to as the high priesthood of the holy order of God or the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God, is the greater of the two orders of priesthood, the other being the Aaronic priesthood.
In the Latter Day Saint movement, priesthood is the power and authority of God given to man, including the authority to perform ordinances and to act as a leader in the church. A group of priesthood holders is referred to as a quorum.
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the term ordinance is used to refer to sacred rites and ceremonies that have spiritual and symbolic meanings and act as a means of conveying divine grace. Ordinances are physical acts which signify or symbolize an underlying spiritual act; for some ordinances, the spiritual act is the finalization of a covenant between the ordinance recipient and God.
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church. It was the office held by Joseph Smith, founder of the movement, and the office assumed by many of Smith's claimed successors, such as Brigham Young, Joseph Smith III, Sidney Rigdon, and James Strang. Several other titles have been associated with this office, including First Elder of the church, Presiding High Priest, President of the High Priesthood, Trustee-in-Trust for the church, Prophet, Seer, Revelator, and Translator. Joseph Smith was known by all of these titles in his lifetime.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints—usually distinguished with a parenthetical (Strangite)—is one of the several organizations that claim to be the legitimate continuation of the church founded by Joseph Smith on April 6, 1830. It is a separate organization from the considerably larger and better known Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Both churches claim to be the original organization established by Smith. The Strangite church is headquartered in Voree, Wisconsin, just outside Burlington, and accepts the claims of James Strang as successor to Smith. It had approximately 300 members in 1998. Currently, there are around 130 active members throughout the United States.
The Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite) is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement headquartered in Independence, Missouri, United States. The church derives its epithet from its founder, Alpheus Cutler, a member of the Nauvoo High Council and of Joseph Smith's Council of Fifty. Cutler justified his establishment of an independent church organization by asserting that God had "rejected" Smith's organization—but not his priesthood—following Smith's death, but that Smith had named Cutler to a singular "Quorum of Seven" in anticipation of this event, with a unique prerogative to reorganize the church that no one beyond this group possessed. Hence, Cutler's organization claims to be the only legitimate Latter Day Saint church in the world today. Currently, it has only one branch, located in Independence. The Cutlerite church retains an endowment ceremony believed to date to the Nauvoo period, practices the United Order of Enoch, and accepts baptism for the dead, but not eternal marriage or polygamy.
The Latter Day Saint movement is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded by Joseph Smith in the late 1820s.
The Church of Christ was the original name of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith. Organized informally in 1829 in Upstate New York and then formally on April 6, 1830, it was the first organization to implement the principles found in Smith's newly published Book of Mormon, and thus its establishment represents the formal beginning of the Latter Day Saint movement. Later names for this organization included the Church of the Latter Day Saints, the Church of Jesus Christ, the Church of God, the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
The Latter Day Saint movement is a religious movement within Christianity that arose during the Second Great Awakening in the early 19th century and that led to the set of doctrines, practices, and cultures called Mormonism, and to the existence of numerous Latter Day Saint churches. Its history is characterized by intense controversy and persecution in reaction to some of the movement's doctrines and practices and their relationship to mainstream Christianity. The purpose of this article is to give an overview of the different groups, beliefs, and denominations that began with the influence of Joseph Smith.
James Jesse Strang was an American religious leader, politician and self-proclaimed monarch. In 1844 he claimed to have been appointed to be the successor of Joseph Smith as leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite), a faction of the Latter Day Saint movement. Strang testified that he had possession of a letter from Smith naming him as his successor, and furthermore reported that he had been ordained to the prophetic office by an angel. His organization is claimed by his followers to be the sole legitimate continuation of the Church of Christ founded by Joseph Smith fourteen years before.
Laban is a figure in the First Book of Nephi, near the start of the Book of Mormon, a scripture of the Latter Day Saint movement. Unlike many of the other Book of Mormon characters, Laban neither ends up in the New World, nor is he a Biblical character. Although Laban only makes a brief appearance in the narrative, his brass plates would later play an important role amongst the Nephites, who are the book's main protagonists.
Voree (/vɔːriː/) is an unincorporated community in the Town of Spring Prairie in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. It is best known as the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite), a denomination of the Latter Day Saint (Mormon) movement. According to James Strang, founder of the Strangite church and of the town, the name means "Garden of Peace". The community is situated along former Wisconsin Highway 11 just west of the Racine County line.
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. and Lucy Mack Smith and was a younger brother of Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement.
The Voree plates, also called The Record of Rajah Manchou of Vorito, or the Voree Record, were a set of three tiny metal plates allegedly discovered by Latter Day Saint leader James J. Strang in 1845 in Voree, near Burlington, Wisconsin. Purportedly the final testament of an ancient American ruler named "Rajah Manchou of Vorito", Strang asserted that this discovery vindicated his claims to be the true successor of Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement—as opposed to Brigham Young, whom most Latter Day Saints accepted as Smith's successor in 1844. The plates also lent credence to his claim that Voree, not the Salt Lake Valley, was to be the new "gathering place" of the Latter Day Saints. Strang's purported translation of this text is accepted as scripture by his church and some other bodies descending from it, but not by any other Latter Day Saint organization.
Wingfield S. Watson was a religious leader of the Latter Day Saint Strangites. He was an Irish immigrant to the United States. He was baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but was an advocate of the Strangite sect throughout his life.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the life and influence of Joseph Smith:
References
↑ 1 Nephi, chapters 3–5. All references to the Book of Mormon are to the LDS Church edition.
↑ Book of the Law of the Lord: Being a Translation From the Egyptian of the Law Given to Moses in Sinai. (St. James, 1851), pg. viii. This article uses the expanded edition of 1856: "Book of the Law". Archived from the original on 2007-10-13. Retrieved 2007-11-05.. The 1851 edition is at http://www.strangite.org/Law.htmArchived 2012-09-12 at archive.today .
↑ Book of the Law, pp. 147–58. This was an essay written by Strang himself, not a translation from the Plates of Laban. It does not appear in the 1851 edition, but is considered an integral part of the 1856 edition and is fully accepted as Scripture by the Strangites.
↑ Book of the Law, pp. 47–86. This section was "written by the prophet James, by inspiration of God." Book of the Law, p. x.
↑ Book of the Law, pp. 136–41. See also "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-01-23. Retrieved 2012-08-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link).
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