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Joseph Smith III

“I have often been asked who would succeed me as the prophet to the church. My son Joseph will be your next prophet.”

- Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr., speech recorded in Zion's Ensign, v. 12, no. 29, p. 5

“It was then understood among the Saints that Young Joseph was to succeed his father.”

- Elder John D. Lee, in Mormonism Unveiled, by E.D. Howe, p. 155

“Now Mr. Editor, if you had been present when Joseph called on me shortly after we came out of jail, to lay hands with him on the head of a youth, and heard him cry aloud, you are my successor when I depart, and heard the blessings poured out upon his head... you would not have been led by blind fanaticism....”

- Apostle Lyman Wight, Saint's Advocate, v. 7, Sept. 1884

“The matter is now settled. We know who Joseph's successor will be: it is little Joseph, [for] I have just seen him ordained by his father.”

- George J. Adams, LDS high priest, W.W. Blair Journal, no. 7, May 14, 1865, RLDS Archives

“I was also present at a meeting in the grove near the temple, and I remember my father laying his hands on my head, and saying to the people that this was his successor, or was to be his successor.”

- Joseph Smith III, Temple Lot Case, p. 79

Other witnesses to this event include John H. Carter, Sophia Cook (niece to Martin Harris), and James Whitehead (Joseph Smith, Jr.'s secretary).


The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:

“Now if they kill me you have got all the keys, and all the ordinances and you can confer upon others, and the hosts of Satan will not be able to tear down the Kingdom as fast as you will be able to build it up.”

- Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr.'s statement to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, as recorded in Times and Seasons, v. 5 (Sept. 25, 1844), p. 651

James Strang (see James Strang for more)

“God knowing all things prepared a man whom we visited by an angel of God and showed him where there were some ancient records hid,…whose name is James J. Strang... and Strang reigns in the place of Smith, the author and proprietor of the Book of Mormon.”

- John Whitmer, one of the Eight Witnesses, John Whitmer's History, p. 23

“And now behold, my servant James J. Strang hath come to thee from far for truth when he knew it not and hath not rejected it but had faith in thee, the Shepard and Stone of Israel; and to him shall the gathering of the people be, for he shall plant a stake in Zion in Wisconsin; and I will establish it, and there shall my people have peace and rest, and shall not be moved, for it shall be established on the prairie on White River in the lands of Racine and Walworth; and behold, my servants James and Aaron shall plant it, for I have given them wisdom.... But now the city of Voree shall be a strong hold of safety to my people, and they that are faithful and obey me I will there give them great posterity, and such as they have not had before, and unto Voree shall be the gathering of my people, and there shall the oppressed flee for safety and none shall hurt or molest them.... And now I command my servants, the Apostles and Priests and Elders of the Church of the Saints, that they communicate and proclaim this my word to all the Saints of God in all the world, that they may be gathered unto and round about the city of Voree and be saved from their enemies, for I will have a people to serve me.”

- Joseph Smith, Jr., letter dated June 18th, 1844 to James Strang; online at Link is here.

“Some two years after Joseph Smith's death the unstable Kirtland branch was largely converted to the pretensions of James J. Strang to Mormon leadership. Apparently a disciple, the Book of Mormon witness [Martin Harris] embarked for England with the Strangite leader Lester Brooks. But private correspondence from this companion proves that Martin was not committed to the Strangite cause and for this reason was hastened back to the States. Yet the eyewitnesses of the mission to England in 1846 agree that he powerfully reiterated his Book of Mormon testimony.”

- Richard Anderson, Investigating the Book of Mormon, 1981, p. 112

“One of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon, yielded to the spirit and temptation of the devil a number of years ago--turned against Joseph Smith and became his bitter enemy. He was filled with the rage and madness of a demon. One day he would be one thing, and another day another thing. He soon became partially deranged or shattered, as many believed, flying from one thing to another.... In one of his fits of monomania, he went and joined the ‘Shakers' or followers of Anna Lee.... but since Strang has made his entry... Martin leaves the ‘Shakers,' whom he knows to be right,... and joins Strang.... We understand that he is appointed a mission to this country,... if the Saints wish to know what the Lord hath said to him they may turn to... the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and the person there called a ‘wicked man' is no other than Martin Harris…Elder Wheelock will remember that evil men, like Harris, out of the evil treasure of their hearts bring forth evil things....
“Just as our paper was going to press, we learned that Martin Harris, about whom we have written in another article, had landed in Liverpool,... there was a strangeness about him, and about one or two who came with him…A lying deceptive spirit attends them, and has from the beginning.... they know that they are of their father, the devil, who was a liar from the beginning, and abode not in the truth.”

- Millennial Star, v. 8, pp. 124-128; online at Link is here.

“This is to certify that the Smith family do believe in the appointment of J.J. Strang. William Smith, Patriarch [;] Lucy Smith, Mother in Israel [;] Arthur R. Milliken [;] Nancy Milliken [;] W.J. Salisbury [;] Catherine Salisbury [;] Sophronia McLerie.”

- Voree Herald, v. 1, July 1846; online at Link is here.

“... I will again stretch out my arm over the river of waters & on the banks thereof shall the House of my choice be[.] but now the city of voree shall be a strong hold of safety to my people & they that are faithful and obey me I will there give them great prosperity & such as they have not had before and unto Voree shall be the gathering of my people & there shall the oppressed flee for safety & none shall hurt or molest them & by this shall they know that I have spoken it…. I command my servants the apostles & priests & elders of the church of the saints that they communicate & proclaim this my word to all the saints of God in all the world that they may be gathered unto and round about the city of Voree & be saved from their enemies for I will have a people to serve me…. My servant james j Strang hath come to thee from far for truth when he knew it not & hath not rejected it but had faith in thee the shepherd and s[t]one of Israel & to him shall the gathering of the people be for he shall plant a stake of Zion in Wisconsin & I will establish it & there shall my people have peace & rest & shall not be moved for it shall be established on the prairie on white river in the lands of Racine & Walworth & behold my servants james & Aaron shall plant it…. Thy duty is made plain and if thou lackest wisdom ask of God in whose hands I trust thee & he will give thee unsparingly for if evil befall me thou shalt lead the flock to pleasant pastures.
God sustain thee
Joseph Smith.

- Joseph Smith, Jr., letter dated June 18th, 1844 to James Strang; online at Link is here.

“I therefore say in true sincerity of heart… that I am fully persuaded by the word of the Lord, and the spirit of truth, that you [James J. Strang] are the man to fill the place of Joseph Smith, as prophet – Revelator – Seer – and Translator to the Church, and discharge all, and several the duties that involved on Pres-Smith.”

- John E. Page to James J. Strang, March 12, 1846, RLDS archives; online at Link is here.

“[John E. Page surrendered] all claim in favor of all the [Brighamite] Twelve as first Presidency of the Church, placed himself under the direction of the [Strangite] Presidency, [and] exonerated himself … of the [Brighamite] Twelve in their usurpation.”

- “Chronicles of Voree,” microfilm, 64, Lee Library

"They need not trouble themselves about it, for Joseph had appointed one James J. Strang, who lived up north, to stand in his stead."

- John P. Green, Nauvoo City Marshal, August 8, 1844; online at Link is here.

No Successor?

“You are now without a prophet present with you in the flesh to guide you… [do not] presume for a moment that his place will be filled by another.”

- Prophet Brigham Young, History of the Church, v. 7, p. 250