Church of Christ at Halley's Bluff
Encyclopedia
Church of Christ at Halley's Bluff (formerly known as the Church of Christ at Zion's Retreat) is a small denomination within the Latter Day Saint movement
. It was formed in 1932 by former members of the Church of Christ (Temple Lot)
, and in 1972 it lost most of its members to the leadership of Dan Gayman, who left the church and established the Church of Israel
.
The Church of Christ at Halley's Bluff split from the Temple Lot church over disagreements about the validity of revelations
received by Otto Fetting
. In 1929, most of Fetting's followers had left the Temple Lot church and established the Church of Christ (Fettingite), which later split into factions including The Church of Christ (Restored) and the Church of Christ with the Elijah Message
. However, one congregation in Denver, Colorado
that accepted Fetting's revelations did not immediately break with the Temple Lot church. This congregation was led by Thomas B. Nerren (b. May 16, 1878 - d. April 1, 1967 Denver, Colorado
) and Elmer E. ("E.E.") Long (b. January 4, 1872 Westerville, Ohio
, d. September 27, 1952 Lee's Summit, Missouri
). By 1932, Nerren was receiving his own revelations and the church had abandoned the Church of Christ (Temple Lot). Initially, the congregation called itself the Church of Christ.
In 1941, Nerren received a revelation that the church—which had since been joined by five other former Temple Lot congregations in the United States—should relocate to northeast Vernon County, Missouri. They built their church building on a hill called Halley's Bluff; the adherents called their 441 acres (1.8 km²) tract Zion's Retreat and incorporated their church as the Church of Christ at Zion's Retreat.
In the 1960s, Dan Gayman became the editor of the church's periodical. In the magazine, Gayman began to advocate racist
and anti-black sentiments that were more prevalent following the death of Joseph Smith, Jr. These attitudes were not supported by the leaders of the church, though they gained popularity among its members. At a 1972 meeting of the church, Gayman deposed the leaders of the church and had himself elected leader of the church. Although most of the church members followed Gayman, the deposed leaders sued Gayman and the courts ordered that the church's property and name be returned to the deposed leaders, Gerald Hall and Duane Gayman. Hall and Duane Gayman reincorporated their church under the name Church of Christ at Halley's Bluff, and in 1981 Dan Gayman incorporated his church as the Church of Israel
.
The Church of Christ at Halley's Bluff now is composed of less than 100 members. The church is headquartered in Schell City, Missouri
.
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
. It was formed in 1932 by former members of the Church of Christ (Temple Lot)
Church of Christ (Temple Lot)
The Church of Christ is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement headquartered in Independence, Missouri on what is known as the Temple Lot. Members of the church have been known colloquially as "Hedrickites", after Granville Hedrick, who was ordained as the church's first leader in July 1863...
, and in 1972 it lost most of its members to the leadership of Dan Gayman, who left the church and established the Church of Israel
Church of Israel
The Church of Israel is a denomination that emerged from the Church of Christ in the Latter Day Saint movement and is now affiliated with the Christian Identity movement, a charge which its leader, Dan Gayman, denies.The Church of Israel was first organized in 1972...
.
The Church of Christ at Halley's Bluff split from the Temple Lot church over disagreements about the validity of revelations
Revelation (Latter Day Saints)
Latter Day Saints teach that the Latter Day Saint movement began with a Revelation from God . They also teach that revelation is the foundation of the church established by Jesus Christ and that it remains an essential element of His true church today...
received by Otto Fetting
Otto Fetting
Otto Fetting was an American realtor and editor from Port Huron, Michigan who served first as a pastor and evangelist in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and then later as an apostle in the Church of Christ , commonly referred to as the "Hedrickites"...
. In 1929, most of Fetting's followers had left the Temple Lot church and established the Church of Christ (Fettingite), which later split into factions including The Church of Christ (Restored) and the Church of Christ with the Elijah Message
Church of Christ with the Elijah Message
The Church of Christ "With the Elijah Message," Established Anew 1929 is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement, headquartered in Jackson County, Missouri, which split from the Church of Christ in 1943 in a dispute over claimed revelations given to its founder William A. Draves...
. However, one congregation in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
that accepted Fetting's revelations did not immediately break with the Temple Lot church. This congregation was led by Thomas B. Nerren (b. May 16, 1878 - d. April 1, 1967 Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
) and Elmer E. ("E.E.") Long (b. January 4, 1872 Westerville, Ohio
Westerville, Ohio
Westerville, once known as "The Dry Capital of the World", is a city in Franklin and Delaware counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 35,318 at the 2000 census.-Early history:...
, d. September 27, 1952 Lee's Summit, Missouri
Lee's Summit, Missouri
Lee's Summit is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Cass. As of the 2010 census found the population at 91,364 making it the sixth-largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area and the sixth-largest city in Missouri...
). By 1932, Nerren was receiving his own revelations and the church had abandoned the Church of Christ (Temple Lot). Initially, the congregation called itself the Church of Christ.
In 1941, Nerren received a revelation that the church—which had since been joined by five other former Temple Lot congregations in the United States—should relocate to northeast Vernon County, Missouri. They built their church building on a hill called Halley's Bluff; the adherents called their 441 acres (1.8 km²) tract Zion's Retreat and incorporated their church as the Church of Christ at Zion's Retreat.
In the 1960s, Dan Gayman became the editor of the church's periodical. In the magazine, Gayman began to advocate racist
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
and anti-black sentiments that were more prevalent following the death of Joseph Smith, Jr. These attitudes were not supported by the leaders of the church, though they gained popularity among its members. At a 1972 meeting of the church, Gayman deposed the leaders of the church and had himself elected leader of the church. Although most of the church members followed Gayman, the deposed leaders sued Gayman and the courts ordered that the church's property and name be returned to the deposed leaders, Gerald Hall and Duane Gayman. Hall and Duane Gayman reincorporated their church under the name Church of Christ at Halley's Bluff, and in 1981 Dan Gayman incorporated his church as the Church of Israel
Church of Israel
The Church of Israel is a denomination that emerged from the Church of Christ in the Latter Day Saint movement and is now affiliated with the Christian Identity movement, a charge which its leader, Dan Gayman, denies.The Church of Israel was first organized in 1972...
.
The Church of Christ at Halley's Bluff now is composed of less than 100 members. The church is headquartered in Schell City, Missouri
Schell City, Missouri
Schell City is a city in Vernon County, Missouri, United States. The population was 286 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Schell City is located at ....
.
See also
- Factional breakdown: Followers of Granville Hedrick
External Links
- Max McCoy, "Separatist by faith: Church of Israel's patriarch rebuts claims of racism", Joplin Globe, January 28, 2001.
- J. Gordon MeltonJ. Gordon MeltonJohn Gordon Melton is an American religious scholar who was the founding director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion and is currently a research specialist in religion and New Religious Movements with the Department of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara...
(1993, 5th ed.). Encyclopedia of American Religions (Detroit: Gale, ISBN 0810377144) p. 573.