Shaker Beliefs and the 1831 Mission Context
The Shakers, formally known as the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, were a distinctive American religious movement practicing strict celibacy, communal property, and a disciplined lifestyle. They believed sexual relations—even within marriage—were spiritually corrupt, and their communities often raised children brought to them by outsiders, especially before formal adoption laws existed in the United States.
In early 1831, Latter-day Saint missionaries visited the Shaker settlement near Kirtland carrying a revelation later canonized as Doctrine and Covenants 49. This revelation corrected Shaker doctrines on marriage, the nature of Christ’s Second Coming, dietary restrictions, and the necessity of baptism by water. The Shakers rejected the revelation and the missionaries’ message, closing the episode without conversions.
Evolving Priesthood Structure in Early Latter-day Saint Leadership
During the 1830s and early 1840s, priesthood organization in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints evolved significantly as new revelations clarified responsibilities. Church leadership offices did not yet match modern organizational patterns, and roles sometimes overlapped or shifted in scope.
Hyrum Smith’s position in this developing structure has led to later questions about whether he held apostolic authority, and if so, in what sense.
Hyrum Smith’s Calling in Doctrine and Covenants 124
In January 1841, Joseph Smith received a major revelation—Doctrine and Covenants 124—that reorganized Church leadership during the Nauvoo period. The revelation placed Hyrum Smith in a uniquely elevated role:
- He was appointed Patriarch to the Church, succeeding his father, Joseph Smith Sr.
- He was designated a prophet, seer, and revelator, sharing the same spiritual authority titles held by Joseph Smith.
- He was granted the same “blessings, glory, honor, priesthood, and gifts” that had previously been given to Oliver Cowdery when Cowdery was ordained as Joseph’s “Second Elder.”
This placed Hyrum alongside Joseph Smith in spiritual authority, though not as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Historically, apostolic authority in the early Church was not limited to members of the Twelve; Joseph Smith himself was not a member of that quorum, yet held the fullest apostolic and prophetic authority as President of the Church.
Apostolic Authority and the Role of the Twelve in Nauvoo
During the early 1840s, Joseph Smith increasingly delegated priesthood keys and administrative authority to the Quorum of the Twelve. By the time of his death in June 1844, the Twelve had acquired the full authority necessary to lead the Church, though this transition developed gradually.
When Hyrum Smith received his calling in 1841, the Twelve were still in the process of obtaining the authority that would later define their position after the martyrdom at Carthage. Hyrum’s calling placed him at the highest level of priesthood authority, but through a separate channel from the Twelve.
Hyrum Smith in the Council of Fifty (1844)
Minutes of the Council of Fifty—organized in Nauvoo in 1844—contain several preserved statements from Hyrum Smith. These speeches, recorded by William Clayton, reveal Hyrum’s use of biblical parallels to teach faith and perseverance.
Hyrum spoke of:
- Moses, who lacked confidence in speech yet led Israel through divine assistance
- Enoch, who felt inadequate but led a Zion people through faith
Hyrum applied these examples to the Saints’ situation as they prepared for a mass migration outside the United States. His remarks came only months before his death and reflect the spiritual framing used by Church leaders in anticipation of the westward exodus.
The Westward Migration and Its Historical Significance
After the deaths of Joseph and Hyrum Smith in 1844, Latter-day Saints undertook one of the largest and most organized overland migrations in American history. The migration required:
- Establishing temporary settlements such as Winter Quarters
- Organizing companies to cross more than a thousand miles of frontier toward Mexican territory (present-day Utah)
- Surviving severe environmental conditions with relatively low mortality compared to other large-scale pioneer movements
Historians often note the migration’s remarkable degree of planning and cooperation, especially given the lack of external governmental support and the hostility the Saints had recently faced.