Editing James Strang (section)

==Succession claim and notable early allies==
{{Main|Succession crisis (Latter Day Saints)}}
[[File:Strang2.jpg|thumb|right| Page three of Strang's "[[Letter of Appointment (Mormonism)|Letter of Appointment]]."]]

After Smith's death, Strang claimed the right to lead the Latter Day Saints, but he was not the only claimant to Smith's prophetic mantle. His most significant rivals were Brigham Young, president of Smith's Twelve Apostles, and Sidney Rigdon, a member of Smith's First Presidency. A power struggle ensued, during which Young quickly disposed of Rigdon in a Nauvoo debate. Young would reject offers to debate with Strang for the next three years before leading his followers to [[Utah Territory|Utah]] while Rigdon led a smaller group to [[Pennsylvania]]. As a newcomer to the faith<ref name="Norton 2003 3">{{harvnb|Norton|2003|p=3}}</ref> Strang did not possess the name recognition, or a more prominent calling like his rivals, so his prospects of assuming Smith's prophetic mantle appeared shaky at first. But this did not dissuade him. Though the Quorum of Twelve quickly published a notice in the ''[[Times and Seasons]]'' of Strang's excommunication,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v5n16.htm|title=Times and Seasons Volume 5, Number 16|website=www.centerplace.org}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]). I am almost sure Strang's excommunication by the Quorum of the Twelve will appear in some biography of his.|date=February 2024}} Strang insisted that the laws of the church prevented excommunication without a trial. He equally asserted that the Twelve had no right to sit in judgment on him, as ''he'' was the lawful [[President of the Church|church president]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/dbroadhu/IA/JStrang2.htm|title=Uncle Dale's Old Mormon Articles: Iowa, Wisc. & Minn.: Strang: 1848-51|website=www.sidneyrigdon.com}}</ref> He began to attract several Mormon luminaries to his side, including Smith's brother [[William Smith (Latter Day Saints)|William Smith]] (an Apostle in Smith's church), Smith's mother [[Lucy Mack Smith]], and William Marks, [[stake president|president]] of the Nauvoo Stake.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}

Strang rested his claim to leadership on an ordination by an angel at the very moment Joseph Smith died (similar to the ordination of Smith), requirements that he claimed were set forth in the [[Doctrine and Covenants]] that the President had to be appointed by revelation and ordained by angels, and a "[[Letter of Appointment (Mormonism)|Letter of Appointment]]" from Smith, carrying a legitimate Nauvoo [[postmark]]. This letter was dated June 18, 1844, just nine days before Smith's death.<ref name="Norton 2003 3"/> Smith and Strang were some 225&nbsp;miles (362&nbsp;km) apart at the time,<ref name="Norton 2003 3"/> Strang offered witnesses to affirm that he had made his announcement before news of Smith's demise was publicly available.<ref>Strang 1854b, p. 23.</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=February 2024|reason=This is citing Strang's own personal writing.}} Strang's letter is held today by [[Yale University]]. Every aspect of the letter has been disputed by opposing factions, including the postmark and the signature <ref>Quinn, p. 210, although the postmark has been proven to be legitimate.  See also Eberstadt, Charles, "A Letter That Founded a Kingdom," ''Autograph Collectors' Journal'' (October, 1950): 3–8.</ref><ref>Jensen, p. 6, note 17.</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is a thesis, which is not bad but is not the best. Robin Scott Jensen's research on Strangites was later published as a chapter in the John Whitmer Books anthology ''Scattering of the Saints: Schism Within Mormonism''; an academic chapter like that, representing a revised version of this thesis research, would be a better source to cite from.|date=February 2024}} however the postmark is genuine and at least one firm (Tyrell and Doud) hired to analyse the document and compare it to Smith's known letters concluded that it was likely to have been authored by Smith. They concluded "A brief observation of these four documents indicates that the education and word usage was consistent with the theory that all four documents were authored by one individual."<ref>{{Cite book|title=James J. Strang: Teachings of a Mormon Prophet|last=Shepard|first=William|publisher=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints|year=1977|location=Burlington, WI|pages=261–262}}</ref>{{Third-party inline|date=February 2024|reason=In light of the disputation among Mormonisms over Joseph Smith's appropriate successor, this sentence about whether or not Smith authored the letter of appointment seems like something that should be cited to a third party and not to a book published directly by the denomination descended from Strang's leadership.}}

There have been several conflicting claims about the authenticity of the letter. One disaffected member of Strang's church said they received a confession from Strang's law partner, C. P. Barnes, that he had fabricated the Letter of Appointment and the [[Voree Plates]].<ref>Nelson-Seawright, J. (October 27, 2006). "[http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2006/10/the-prophet-jesse-james/ The Prophet Jesse James]".  ''ByCommonConsent.com''. Retrieved October 28, 2007.</ref> Another member of the Brighamites stated years after Strang's death to have forged the letter himself and mailed it to Strang as a prank.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}} There are no reliable firsthand statements, however, by witnesses or insiders that question the validity of the letter.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}}

<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Johnepage.jpg|left|thumb|[[John E. Page]], an [[Apostle (Latter Day Saints)|Apostle]] under [[Joseph Smith]] and James Strang.]] -->
Strang's letter convinced several eminent Mormons of his claims, including Book of Mormon witnesses [[John Whitmer|John]] and [[David Whitmer]], [[Martin Harris (Latter Day Saints)|Martin Harris]], and [[Hiram Page]].{{efn|David Whitmer and Martin Harris, two of the [[Three Witnesses]], and Hiram Page and John Whitmer of the [[Eight Witnesses]].}} In addition, [[Apostle (Latter Day Saints)|apostles]] [[John E. Page]], [[William E. McLellin]], and William Smith,{{efn|John Page and William Smith were apostles at Smith's death; William M'Lellin had previously been an apostle, but was excommunicated in 1838.}} together with Nauvoo [[Stake (Latter Day Saints)|Stake]] President [[William Marks (Mormonism)|William Marks]], and Bishop [[George Miller (Latter Day Saints)|George Miller]],{{efn|George Miller, who is mentioned in the LDS Doctrine & Covenants section 124: verses 20, 62 and 70.}} accepted Strang. Joseph Smith's mother, Lucy Mack Smith, and three of his sisters accepted Strang's claims. According to the ''Voree Herald'', Strang's newspaper, Lucy Smith wrote to one Reuben Hedlock: "I am satisfied that Joseph appointed J.J. Strang. It is verily so."<ref name=11May46>(Nauvoo, 11 May 1846).  "[http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/dbroadhu/IA/JStrang1.htm#050046 Opinions of the Smith Family]". ''Voree Herald'' '''I''' (6). Retrieved on 2007-10-28.<br />'''''a''''': Letter of Lucy Smith to Reuben Hedlock.<br />
'''''b''''': Letter of William Smith to Reuben Hedlock.</ref>{{Third-party inline|date=February 2024|reason=In light of the disputation among Mormonisms over Joseph Smith's appropriate successor, this sentence about whether or not Lucy Mack Smith (Joseph Smith's mother) regarded Strang as his rightful successor seems like something that should be cited to a third party and not to the denomination's own newspaper. A secondary academic source should be cited.}} According to Joseph Smith's brother William, all of his family (except for Hyrum and [[Samuel Harrison Smith|Samuel Smith]]'s widows), endorsed Strang.<ref name=11May46/>{{Third-party inline|date=February 2024|reason=In light of the disputation among Mormonisms over Joseph Smith's appropriate successor, this sentence about whether or not Lucy Mack Smith (Joseph Smith's mother) regarded Strang as his rightful successor seems like something that should be cited to a third party and not to the denomination's own newspaper. A secondary academic source should be cited.}}

[[File:John C. Bennett engraving.jpg|left|thumb|Engraving of [[John C. Bennett]] as a General of the [[Nauvoo Legion]].]]
Also championing Strang was [[John C. Bennett]], a physician and [[libertine]] who had a tumultuous career as Joseph Smith's [[Assistant President of the Church|Assistant President]] and mayor of Nauvoo. Invited by Strang to join him in Voree,<ref>Fitzpatrick, pp. 146–47.</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]), per Klaus J. Hansen's review in the 1971 volume of the journal ''Dialogue'' (DOI:10.2307/45227513) which says, "the book is so bad that my first reaction was that any kind of review, even a critical one, would give it a dignity that it didn't deserve".|date=February 2024}} Bennett was instrumental in establishing a so-called "Halcyon Order of the [[Illuminati]]" there, with Strang as its "Imperial Primate."<ref name=Weeks/> Eventually, as in Nauvoo, Bennett fell into disfavor with the church and Strang expelled him in 1847.<ref>Fitzpatrick, p. 151.</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]), per Klaus J. Hansen's review in the 1971 volume of the journal ''Dialogue'' (DOI:10.2307/45227513) which says, "the book is so bad that my first reaction was that any kind of review, even a critical one, would give it a dignity that it didn't deserve".|date=February 2024}} His "order" fell by the wayside and has no role in Strangism today, though it did lead to conflict between Strang and some of his associates.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}