Prophet-Presidents of the Community of Christ - Joseph Smith, JR., Frederick M. Smith, President of the Church, Joseph Smith III (Paperback)

Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Joseph Smith, Jr., Frederick M. Smith, President of the Church, Joseph Smith Iii, Lineal Succession, W. Grant Mcmurray, Israel A. Smith, Stephen M. Veazey, W. Wallace Smith, Wallace B. Smith, List of Prophet-presidents of the Community of Christ. Excerpt: Frederick Madison Smith (January 21, 1874 March 20, 1946) was an American religious leader and author and a Prophet-President of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (renamed the Community of Christ in 2001) from 1915 until his death. Smith's paternal grandfather was Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, and his father was Joseph Smith III, the first president after the Church's "Reorganization." Smith was one of nine children of Joseph Smith III and his second wife, Bertha Madison Smith. He was born on Jan 21, 1874, at Plano, Illinois, and baptized on July 20, 1883. Summary of education: On August 3, 1897, Smith married Alice Lyman Cobb (died May 4, 1926). His father, Joseph Smith III, died on December 10, 1914, leaving the Reorganized Church without a leader. However, the leadership of Frederick Madison Smith was accepted shortly afterwards, and so he became the second President of the Reorganized Church in 1915. Smith was known for his interests in applying the principles of the newly emerging fields of sociology and social welfare to the Church's thinking on the principles and doctrine of Zion. He became embroiled in a controversy over Supreme Directional Control of the Church that led to a major loss in membership. He also presided during the difficult depression years which stalled construction of the Auditorium as the church faced issues of major financial debt. Frederick M. Smith became the first president of the church to submit notice of resignation. However, he ...