Dissent and conflict with Smith Warren Parrish

1 dissent , conflict smith

1.1 failure of kirtland safety society
1.2 armed confrontation in kirtland temple
1.3 public statements
1.4 parrish s church of christ
1.5 later life

dissent , conflict smith
failure of kirtland safety society

in 1836, joseph smith organized kirtland safety society antibanking company, joint-stock company note issuing powers. parrish later became company s treasurer. smith encouraged church members invest in kirtland safety society. 1837, bank had failed, partly result of parrish , other bank officers stealing funds. result of parrish s role in this, excommunicated church. time forward, parrish sought destroy joseph smith , church, , result smith forced leave kirtland. after smith , sidney rigdon left on july 26, 1837 crisis formed within church @ kirtland during absence.

armed confrontation in kirtland temple

in addition parrish, failure of bank caused major rift among other church leaders well, concluded smith not true prophet if not foresee bank unsuccessful.

parrish , supporting him claimed ownership of kirtland temple. eliza r. snow relates parrish , group of others came temple during sunday services armed pistols , bowie-knives , seated in aaronic pulpits, on east end of temple, while father smith [joseph smith, sr.] , others, usual, occupied of melchizedek priesthood on west. parrish s group interrupted services and, according snow fearful scene ensued—the apostate speaker becoming clamorous father smith called police take man out of house, when parrish, john boynton, , others, drew pistols , bowie-knives, , rushed down stand congregation; john boynton saying blow out brains of first man dared lay hands on him. police arrived , ejected troublemakers, after services continued.

public statements

parrish wrote letters several newspapers expressing anger church leaders, referring them infidels. in 1 such letter, parrish claims martin harris, 1 of subscribing witnesses; has come out @ last, , says never saw plates, book purports have been translated, except in vision; , further says man says has seen them in other way liar, joseph not excepted; – see new edition, book of covenants, page 170, agrees harris s testimony. wilford woodruff recorded reaction of parrish s writings in journal entry of april 4, 1838, stating full of slander , falsehoods against joseph smith jr.

parrish s church of christ

parrish led group of dissenters formed new church based in kirtland, called church of christ, after original name of church organized joseph smith. george a. smith wrote group intended renounce book of mormon , joseph smith, , take mormon doctrines overthrow religions in world, , unite christian churches in 1 general band, , great leaders. among associated church martin harris. parrish s group believed joseph smith had become fallen prophet. beginning of 1838, parrish s church had taken control of kirtland temple smith , loyal him left kirtland gather in far west, missouri.

a debate arose among parrish s group regarding validity of book of mormon , existing revelations, parrish, john f. boynton, luke s. johnson, , several others claiming nonsense. george a. smith reported: 1 of them told me moses rascal , prophets tyrants, , jesus christ despot, paul base liar , religion fudge. , parrish said agreed him in principle. resulted in permanent division between parrish s supporters , other leaders, including martin harris, cautioned them not reject book. cyrus smalling, joseph coe , several others declared [harris s] testimony true. parrish s church dissolved after division.

later life

after dissolution of church, parrish left kirtland altogether. in 1844, parrish working baptist minister salary of $500 per year. in 1850 parrish living in mendon, new york, listed clergyman census. 1870, had apparently lost sanity , living in emporia, kansas, died in 1877.