Dr. Michael Quinn is one of the foremost experts on the LDS Succession Crisis. He says there were seven legitimate succession claims following the death of Joseph Smith. In a previous interview, John Hamer said Sidney Rigdon was the best option according to canon law. I’ll ask Quinn that question, and we’ll talk about some of the other candidates.
Michael: I would disagree with John Hamer that Sidney Rigdon was the most likely. He was the first publicly proposed alternative to the Quorum of the Twelve and he was voted down by the congregation that met in August of 1844. When their choice was only Sidney Rigdon or the Quorum of the Twelve, they chose the Quorum of the Twelve to continue in the Twelve’s position in its place of having all this prior role administratively within Nauvoo, the headquarters of the church. And they rejected Sidney Rigdon. But the fact that he was the first publicly proposed doesn’t mean that either one of them was the most likely. That was the choice that the Quorum of the Twelve and Sidney Rigdon had advertised. And this had been advertised before the Twelve was even back in Nauvoo. Most of the apostles, members of the Quorum of the Twelve were in the eastern states, and there were only one or two members in Nauvoo and two of them were wounded in and the attack on Carthage Jail.
We’ll talk about several of the possibilities during the succession crisis. We’re continuing our discussion of the Succession Crisis. Strang was known to translate the Voree Plates. How does that compare to Book of Mormon translation process Joseph Smith did? Michael Quinn tells his beliefs about the translation process of the Book of Mormon.
GT: Do you have an opinion on the Book of Mormon?
Michael: Yes, I believe it is written based on ur-text? I believe it’s tribal history. The way the Old Testament was tribal history originally told around campfires and that the Book of Mormon is based on an actual ur-text, written ur-text, Gold plates. I believe those. But I don’t think that everything in the published 1830 Book of Mormon derives from that ur-text, derives from that ur-text. That’s a German phrase: Ur-text meaning the original text. I don’t believe that. I mean, there are things in there you can see as Joseph Smith’s understanding of the Bible. You can see things in there that reflect attitudes of the people at the time.
James Strang was a big rival to the Brigham Young movement. He claims to have a letter from Joseph Smith putting him in charge of the LDS Church. Dr. Michael Quinn tells why he believes the letter was a forgery.
GT: So what do you think about Strang’s claim?
Michael: Absolute fraud.
GT: Really?
Michael: Oh yes.
GT: Oh Wow. Why do you say that?
Michael: The document itself was hand-printed.
GT: Okay.
Michael: The signature was hand-printed.
GT: Really?
Michael: Joseph never did that. No, it’s an absolute fraud.
GT: Absolute fraud.
Michael: Yeah.
GT: I know that some…
Michael: But he was a charismatic fraud, which is why people followed him because Brigham Young did not come across as charismatic even though he spoke in tongues and sang in tongues.
Check out our conversation… as well as our other conversations with Dr. Quinn!
What are your thoughts concerning the Succession Crisis?
Wheat & Tares 
Never thought of this before, but could there have been more than 1 legitimate way to go? Like, for instance, could the 12 have backed Joseph Smith III? Etc.
Brigham Young clearly expected JS III to lead the church, but he wanted him to come to Utah. Both JS3 and Emma balked at the idea, and Emma did not like Brigham Young. As mentioned in the interview, Emma backed William Marks, the Stake President in Nauvoo, to lead the church.
I found Quinn’s admission of a combination of translation and 19th century additions to the Book of Mormon to be quite an interesting idea, as well as the ur-text. How many people think the BoM is a combination of manmade and literal transation?
The seven succession claims are “legitimate” because each method of calling/authority had a precedent in the Church. To some, Sidney Rigdon still held the highest authority as a member of the 1st Presidency.
Did Brigham Young make any statements regarding Joseph 3rd being a successor? Remember he was only 13 10 June 1844. The first RLDS missionaries to Utah after he accepted leadership were not warmly welcomed.
Brigham Young asked both Joseph III and David to join them in Utah, but both declined. It was fairly well-known among Latter-day Saints that Joseph had promised his son JS3 would be the leader of the church one day, but JS3 was just 11 years old at the time of his father’s death. People in both LDS and RLDS churches were aware of this. If JS3 had come to Utah, it would have been interesting to see if Brigham had stepped aside (but I doubt it.) Clearly the RLDS Church believed in lineal succession, and when JS3 felt called in the late 1850s, they organized the RLDS church on April 6, 1860.
Clearly RLDS missionaries were not warmly received in Utah, although I believe Brigham let them speak in the Tabernacle. The problem was, they kept denouncing polygamy, which didn’t go over well with the Salt Lake Mormons.
Emma was pretty upset over polygamy, and I am sure helped her sons believe the same. Of course, anti-polygamy feelings were the main difference between LDS and RLDS churches for about 100 years.
Love this. Very interesting. I didn’t realize the fraud case against Strang, although he certainly seemed like a dark horse, not a serious contender (even though he had a substantial following). Generally, I tend to agree with Jon Hamer that Rigdon had the strongest claim according to existing procedure / policy, but he didn’t have the backing of the Saints in Nauvoo. I’m glad it wasn’t JS3 which I agree was probably Joseph’s intent. Setting up a dynastic succession makes the church so small, and it’s untenable in the long term, but JS’s vision for himself and his posterity seems most consistent with that.
You’re right, Angela . The RLDS doctrine of lineal succession hit a crisis in the 1990’s with Wallace B. Smith having no sons. Many speculated that, with female priesthood, it could be a daughter or (shiver) he could be the last Prophet. Neither theory panned out.
“The Memoirs of Joseph Smith III” contain an account of his visits to Utah after becoming RLDS President.
Joseph Smith Jr. is largely to blame for the succession crisis. He left no name or designation procedure that was documented and clear.
Rick – fascinating stuff. I’ll be sure to listen.