Where was the LDS Church really organized?

[_Mahonri]

April 6, 1830... but where? Manchester or Fayette, NY? I read differing opinions but have not really looked into it that closely yet. Is there a good reason some say Manchester? If it really was there why the Fayette story?

Also, the Joseph Smith manual this year emphasizes God told Joseph the specific day was April 6. Why didn't he also emphasize the name it was to be known by? Would have saved some confusion than and in the years as the passed.

Even now we hear the brethren referring often to the church as "The Church of Jesus Christ" even though that is a formally registred name of a Pennsylvania fundamentalist Mormon group. "The Church of Christ" is the Temple Lot group and referring to the LDS by that name is also misleading and not too honest.

Anyhow, just where did the formal organization really take place?

[_truth dancer]

Hi M...

Even now we hear the brethren referring often to the church as "The Church of Jesus Christ" even though that is a formally registred name of a Pennsylvania fundamentalist Mormon group. "The Church of Christ" is the Temple Lot group and referring to the LDS by that name is also misleading and not too honest.

I don't know the answer to your question but found this interesting.

I too have heard the church referred to as, "The Church of Jesus Christ," by LDS leaders, in fact I thought they may be trying to eventually eliminate the LDS part.

But for a church that is rather obsessed with not allowing other Mormon churches to use the name Mormon, and making sure every media outlet clearly states the LDS church is not the FLDS church, to use the name of another church doesn't seem quite right.

~dancer~

[_Jason Bourne]

There is some documents that seem to indicate the organization may have been in Manchester and not Fayette but the predominant evidence points to Fayette. Why is this an issue for you?

[_Mahonri]

"Why is that an issue to you?"

What, a guy can't ask a question?

Which location is accurate, that is all I am interested in. Would be nice to know with so much else being changed/denied/reinterpreted.

[_Jason Bourne]

"Why is that an issue to you?"

What, a guy can't ask a question?

Which location is accurate, that is all I am interested in. Would be nice to know with so much else being changed/denied/reinterpreted.

I did not mean to come across as harsh in my question. I was just wondering.

[_Nevo]

April 6, 1830... but where? Manchester or Fayette, NY? I read differing opinions but have not really looked into it that closely yet. Is there a good reason some say Manchester? If it really was there why the Fayette story?

The Manchester location has considerable support: the 1833 Book of Commandments, the March and April 1833 issues of the LDS newspaper The Evening and the Morning Star, Joseph Smith's 1842 "Wentworth Letter," and William Smith all list Manchester as the location of the 6 April 1830 organizational meeting. Manchester is also implied in Joseph Knight Sr.'s recollection. Also, two neighbours of the Smiths said they were present at the baptisms of Joseph Smith Sr. and Martin Harris--which, according to Lucy Smith, Joseph Knight, and others, took place the same day the Church was organized.

David Whitmer, on the other hand, consistently claimed that the Church was organized at his father's log cabin in Fayette, and Joseph Smith's 1838 history (now JS-History) also has Fayette. So it's a bit of a mystery. I suspect there were organizational meetings at both Manchester and Fayette--Manchester on Tuesday, April 6th, and Fayette the following Sunday, April 11th. The first conference of the Church (consisting of the Colesville, Manchester, and Fayette branches) took place in Fayette on 6 June 1830, and it may be that some of the details of this meeting were conflated with the April 6th meeting (this appears to be the case with JS-H at least).

[_Mahonri]

Thanks for the information.

It matters for this reason. Why would someone trying to persuade me they have Truth have to lie to convince me it is true? Too many stories in the preaching that don't hold up to the light of day.

The Priesthood Joseph Smith manual this year states that Oliver Cowdery laid his hands on Joseph Smiths head at that organizational meeting and confirmed him a member of "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints". A neat trick that as the name was not in existance. If all those thousands who work for The Church cannot get something as basic as that right it does make one wonder at the more involved stuff. Why, one might even think polygamy not doctrinal or that we don't know that we believe LDS can become 'as god is'?