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Church of Christ, Temple Lot's Articles of Faith

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After Joseph Smiths death, many churches spung up from his church. Most went to Utah with Brigham Young, many went up to Wisconsin and Michigan to follow James Strang, and some joined the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints. But within rural Illinois, there were a collection of congregations not affiliated with any group. In the spring of 1853, the congregations joined together, vowing to continue the original teachings of the church. In 1863, the were officially organized as a single church, under the leadership of Granville Hendrick. Hendrick was ordained as a prophet, seer and revelator, though he later distanced himself from the term as he thought it was unscriptural. They soon relocated to Independence, Missouri and bought the land Joseph Smith prophesied at temple would be built on known as the temple lot. Today, there they are still in Independence, and still own the Temple Lot, despite getting into a lawsuit with the RLDS Church. Temple Lot Plaque The Church...
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Ryan Gabriel "Healing Racism Through Jesus Christ"

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Racism is a hard thing to talk about. But it is something to be talked about. Within this talk at BYU, delivered on April 6, 2022, Ryan Gabriel goes over how Christ and his teachings can help use heal the painful legacy of racism. In the spring of 2018, I was fortunate enough, along with a group of faculty and administrative colleagues here at BYU, to travel with a group of students to the southern United States to visit a number of famous civil rights sites. One of these sites was the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The 16th Street Baptist Church was a hub of civil rights activity in the 1950s and 1960s. It was a meeting place for civil rights leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth. Parishioners of the church marched through the streets of Birmingham with the hope that their action would integrate a deeply divided city. Outside of the church rests a small plaque that memorializes the deaths of four young girls: Addie Mae ...
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Helvécio Martins "The Value of a Testimony"

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Elder Helvécio Martins was the first person of Black African descent to be called as a general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Born to descendants of African slaves in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Martins joined the LDS Church in 1972, despite his knowledge that the LDS Church did not then allow members of Black African descent to hold the priesthood or to receive temple ordinances. On 9 June 1978, Martins and his family heard of the announcement that the LDS Church was lifting the priesthood ban. After Martins received the priesthood and his temple ordinances, he served in the church as a bishop, counselor to a stake president, and as president of the Brazil Fortaleza Mission. In April 1990, church president Ezra Taft Benson called Martins as a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy. Martins became the first black general authority in the LDS Church. After serving a standard five-year term as a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy, Martins was honora...
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Mediation and Atonement of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Ch. 2

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Here is the second chapter of Meditation and Atonement of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Within its pages, it quotes a lot of scripture pointing to the coming of Jesus Christ. Chapter II. The Testimony of Jesus the Spirit of Prophecy— The Declarations of the Ancient Servants of God — Extracts from the Writings and Testimonies of Moses, Job, David, Isaiah, Zechariah, Micah and Hosea, to be found in the Old Testament, with remarks. In the chapter of Luke's Gospel, to which we have already referred, speaking of Jesus, it is written, " Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. " If this be taken in the fullest sense, and we know of no reason why it should not thus be received, there is a great principle developed, which is, that not only Moses, but all the Prophets, testified concerning the coming Redeemer. As elsewhere stated, this must have been the case, for we are told that "the testimony...
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Patriarchal Blessing of Elijah Abel

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To celebrate Black History Month this year, I wanted to share the Patriarchal blessing of Elijah Abel, one of the most famous black Mormons, given to him by Joseph Smith Sr. I hope you enjoy. Patriarchal blessing of Elijah Able Blessing of Elijah Able who was born in Frederick County, Maryland, July 25th, 1808. Brother Able, in the name of Jesus I lay my hands upon thy head to bless thee and thou shalt be blessed even forever. I seal upon thee a father’s blessing, because thou art an orphan, for thy father, hath never done his duty toward thee, but the Lord hast had his eye upon thee, and brought thee through straits and thou hast come to be rec[k]oned with the saints of the most High. Thou hast been ordained an Elder and anointed to secure thee against the power of the destroyer. Thou shalt see his power in laying waste the nations, & the wicked slaying the wicked, while blood shall run down the streets like water, and thy heart shall weep over their calamities. Angels shall visit...
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William Bickerton's Vision

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Based in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, The Church of Jesus Christ, also known as the Bickertonite Church, is the third largest branch of the restoration. After the martyrdom of Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon created his own church in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. After a while, Rigdon left for Greencastle, leaving behind those who did not follow him.  A branch of those left behind was organized under William Bickerton, who said he was called by God in a vision to preach the Gospel. He was called to preside over the church and called apostles to preside with them. The church was incorporated into Pennsylvania in 1865 with the name "The Church of Jesus Christ." Nowadays, they have over 20,000 members across multiple countries. William Bickerton The Church of Jesus Christ has many differences with the LDS Church. They only use the Book of Mormon and the King James Bible within the scriptural canon. The Church is organized with Twelve apostles, Seventy Evangelists, and elders. Deacons and d...
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1933 Manifesto

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This Manifesto, published on  June 17, 1933, was the last manifesto released about polygamy. It once again denounces polygamy and those who practice it. A large portion of it is dedicated to discussing the previous manifestos against polygamy.   Official Statement From the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The First Presidency have recently received letters making inquiry concerning the position of the Church regarding the contracting of polygamous or plural marriages.  It is evident from these letters, as well as from certain published material—some of it distributed during our last General Conference—that a secret and, according to reputation, an oath-bound organization of misguided individuals is seeking to lead the people to adopt adulterous relations under the guise of a pretended and false polygamous or plural marriage ceremony. While the position of the Church since 1893 has been repeatedly set forth, namely, that polygamous o...
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