Church of Christ (Brewsterite)

The Church of Christ was a

schismatic sect from the Latter Day Saint movement that was founded in 1848 by James C. Brewster and Hazen Aldrich. Because of the church's belief that Brewster was a prophet

, the group is often called the Brewsterites.

History

After the mob killing of Joseph Smith, apostle William E. McLellin and other early church leaders returned to Kirtland, Ohio, to pick up the remnants of the church there. The group adopted the original name of the Latter Day Saint church, the "Church of Christ". Two principles of the movement were to (1) accept David Whitmer as leader, and (2) declare Kirtland as the proper center of the church.

At the organization of the church in

revelations that Brewster had obtained. Notable adherents included John E. Page, one of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve

Because Brewster lived in Springfield, the newspaper eventually moved operation to Illinois. In October 1849, a newspaper article indicated that Kirtland was a temporary headquarters, and they planned to move to California. On June 23, 1849, the group held a General Assembly in the Kirtland Temple. Six members accepted Brewster's revelation to move to California.

In 1850, Brewster declared that there was a land called "Bashan" in the

Rio Grande Valley

that God had selected as the new gathering place for the church. In 1851, Brewster and Goodale led a wagon train of followers to find Bashan, while Aldrich—who had begun to doubt Brewster's prophetic abilities—remained behind in Kirtland.

There were disagreements between Brewster and Goodale and the other members of the church on the journey to Bashan, and most of Brewster's followers, including Olive Oatman and her family, deserted Brewster and headed for California. Brewster returned to Illinois and the church was never reorganized.

Notes

This article includes a

improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (April 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message

)

References

History of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 3:67–73
J. Gordon Melton (1996, 5th ed.) Encyclopedia of American Religions (Detroit, Mich.: Gale) pp. 561–62
Steven L. Shields (1990). Divergent Paths of the Restoration p. 336
Davis Bitton, "The Waning of Mormon Kirtland^{[permanent dead link]}, BYU Studies (1972)

v t e Latter Day Saint movement
Fundamental ideas	Mormonism Mormonism and Nicene Christianity Mormon fundamentalism Teachings of Joseph Smith
History	Church of Christ Extermination Order Succession crisis History of the LDS Church Mormon handcart pioneers Mormon Battalion Mormon Reformation Utah War Community of Christ history Amboy Conference Restoration branches Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite) history Rigdonite William Bickerton
Sacred texts	Bible Old Testament New Testament Book of Abraham Criticism Book of Mormon outline Criticism Book of Moses Criticism of Mormon sacred texts Doctrine and Covenants (Book of Commandments) Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible Pearl of Great Price Lectures on Faith Book of the Law of the Lord (Strangites only) The Word of the Lord (Fettingites and offshoots)
Founders and leaders	Joseph Smith outline Oliver Cowdery Sidney Rigdon Brigham Young Wilford Woodruff Joseph Smith III James Strang William Bickerton Granville Hedrick Alpheus Cutler
LDS denominations	The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints outline Community of Christ Restoration branches Bickertonite Strangite Hedrickite Christian fellowships of "the Remnants" movement Mormon fundamentalism FLDS Church Apostolic United Brethren Latter Day Church of Christ Centennial Park group List of Reorganized Restorationist churches
Doctrines and practices	Adam–God doctrine Agency Articles of Faith Confirmation Cosmology Degrees of glory Early views on death Exaltation Gifts of the Spirit Views on God Heavenly Parents Heavenly Mother Islam and Mormonism Judaism and Mormonism Law of consecration Melchizedek priesthood Patriarchal blessing Plan of salvation Premortal life Priesthood Restoration Revelation Second anointing Spirit world Spectrums of orthodoxy and practice Son of perdition Temples Tithing Women and Mormonism Word of Wisdom
Controversies	Polygamy current state origin Race Black people Black people and early Mormonism Civil rights Joseph Smith's views Native Americans Pacific Islanders Phrenology Slavery LGBT people Violence Historicity of the Book of Mormon archaeology origin Geographical setting List of prophecies of Joseph Smith Universalism
Culture	Ex-Mormon Jack Mormon Lost boys Mormon art Mormon blogosphere Mormon cinema Mormon folklore Cunning folk traditions and the Latter Day Saint movement Mormon foodways Mormon literature Mormon poetry Mormon fiction Association for Mormon Letters Mormon music Mormon folk music Placement marriage
The Mormon Image	Mormon studies Latter Day Saints in popular culture Portrayal of Mormons in comics Mormon pornography
Places	Cumorah Kirtland, Ohio Mormon corridor Nauvoo, Illinois Salt Lake City Sacred Grove Smith Family Farm
Related	Anti-Mormonism Angel Moroni Bibliography Bibliography of books critical of Mormonism Criticism of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints First Vision Golden plates Joseph Smith Papyri Eyewitness accounts associated with the Joseph Smith Papyri Kirtland Egyptian papers Kolob Mormonism and history Reformed Egyptian Temple architecture (LDS Church) Theodemocracy Voree plates
Latter Day Saints Portal

Sects in the Latter Day Saint movement

Additional Latter Day Saint sects (usually headquartered in U.S. east of the Rocky Mountains)

Church of Christ
(later renamed "Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints")
Organized by: Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith's original
organization; multiple sects currently
claim to be true successor 1844 (trust reorganized)
1851^{[note 1]}(incorporated) The Church of
Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints
Organized by: Brigham Young^{[note 1]}
and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
14 million members

Additional Latter Day Saint sects

1844 1847 and 1871 1848

William E. M'Lellin
and David Whitmer
Status: defunct
Church of Christ (Brewsterite)
Organized by: James C. Brewster
and Hazen Aldrich
Status: defunct

1848 1848 1851 1994

Mike Bethel

Status: unknown

^ ^a ^b Multiple sects currently claim to be true successor, however, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was officially reorganized in 1844 and incorporated in 1851, after the death of Joseph Smith."An Ordinance, incorporating the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints", Laws and Ordinances of the State of Deseret, Salt Lake City, Utah: Shepard Book Company, 1919 [February 4, 1851], p. 66, retrieved June 29, 2010

History

See also

Notes

References