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William Law (Mormonism)
Encyclopedia
William Law was an important figure in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement
, holding a position in the early church's First Presidency
under Joseph Smith, Jr. Law was later excommunicated from the church and was the founder of the short-lived True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
.
Law was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, as the youngest of five children. His family moved to the United States
around 1820, and he eventually ended up in Upper Canada
. At the age of 24 he married Jane Silverthorn, who was 19 years old.
Law and his wife joined the Church of the Latter Day Saints in 1836, through the efforts of John Taylor and Almon W. Babbitt
. He led a group of Canadian saints to Nauvoo, Illinois
in 1839 and in 1841, Joseph Smith chose him to be a member of the First Presidency.
As time progressed, Law became troubled by certain practices of Smith. He felt the prophet was uniting church and state in Nauvoo, Illinois
by evading extradition to be tried for crimes in Missouri
. He also thought Smith used his church authority to sway political outcomes. However, it was Smith's covert practice of polygamy
that caused Law to completely separate himself. Rumors circulated that Smith had made several proposals to Law's wife Jane, under the premise that Jane Law would enter a polyandrous marriage with Smith. Law and his wife confirmed that these rumors were true. However, according to Alexander Neibaur
, he had heard Jane Law propose to Joseph on account of having prayed over and converted to the practice of Priesthood Marriage. According to Neibaur, Jane knew that because William was an adulterer she could not be sealed to him and therefore had proposed to be married to Joseph. However, years later Jane claimed that Smith visited her at night when he knew William would not be home and propositioned her, suggesting to her that it was God's will that she enter into a polyandrous marriage with Smith. Jane Law described Smith's proposals, saying that Smith had "asked her to give him half her love; she was at liberty to keep the other half for her husband." She refused Smith's request to marry him as a polyandrous plural wife. Law still believed Mormonism to be true, but he viewed Smith as a fallen prophet.
On January 8, 1844 Law was informed that he was no longer a counselor to Smith in the First Presidency. He was shocked and frustrated. He demanded a rehearing of his case, because the procedures for removal from the First Presidency had not been followed. The rehearing was granted and on April 18, 1844 he was tried again. However, this time he was tried as if he were a private member and not a high-ranking church official. Once again he felt this went against church protocol. The following day he was informed of his excommunication on grounds of apostasy. At this point, he felt Smith was beyond saving, and that it was his duty to expose him to the rest of the Mormon community.
Law met privately after his excommunication with other opponents of Smith and formed a group. After they were joined by two boys, Dennison L. Harris and Robert Scott, they were exposed after these boys reported their plans to Smith. Shortly thereafter, Law created the True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
and became its President. On June 8, 1844 Law and his followers published the Nauvoo Expositor
, a newspaper which outlined Law's contentions against Smith, including the then-secret practice of plural marriage
. The reaction to the newspaper was not what Law expected, and after two days of consultation, the printing press was ordered destroyed by the Nauvoo city council. It was destroyed later that day.
Smith was later arrested and taken to nearby Carthage, Illinois
on charges relating to the destruction of the Expositor. On June 27, 1844 Smith was murdered
by a mob.
For many years, Law was accused of being a member or a leader of the mob that killed Smith. However, Law's diary shows that he was not in Carthage at the time of the murder, though he had been present there earlier in the day. Although Law expresses outrage and remorse at Smith's death in his private journal, he goes on to say that it was Smith's goal "to demoralize the world, to give it to Satan, his master .... He claimed to be a god, whereas he was only a servant of the Devil, and as such he met his fate."
Law eventually moved to Shullsburg
, Lafayette County, Wisconsin
, where he died in 1892.
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...
, holding a position in the early church's First Presidency
First Presidency
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency was the highest governing body in the Latter Day Saint church established by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1832, and is the highest governing body of several modern Latter Day Saint denominations...
under Joseph Smith, Jr. Law was later excommunicated from the church and was the founder of the short-lived True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or Reformed Mormon Church was a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement. It was founded in the spring of 1844 in Nauvoo, Illinois by leaders dissenting from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.The Reformed Church's president...
.
Law was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, as the youngest of five children. His family moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
around 1820, and he eventually ended up in Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
. At the age of 24 he married Jane Silverthorn, who was 19 years old.
Law and his wife joined the Church of the Latter Day Saints in 1836, through the efforts of John Taylor and Almon W. Babbitt
Almon W. Babbitt
Almon Whiting Babbitt was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement, a Mormon pioneer, and the first secretary and treasurer of the Territory of Utah...
. He led a group of Canadian saints to Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
in 1839 and in 1841, Joseph Smith chose him to be a member of the First Presidency.
As time progressed, Law became troubled by certain practices of Smith. He felt the prophet was uniting church and state in Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
by evading extradition to be tried for crimes in Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. He also thought Smith used his church authority to sway political outcomes. However, it was Smith's covert practice of polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
that caused Law to completely separate himself. Rumors circulated that Smith had made several proposals to Law's wife Jane, under the premise that Jane Law would enter a polyandrous marriage with Smith. Law and his wife confirmed that these rumors were true. However, according to Alexander Neibaur
Alexander Neibaur
Alexander Neibaur was one of the first Jewish persons to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, he had heard Jane Law propose to Joseph on account of having prayed over and converted to the practice of Priesthood Marriage. According to Neibaur, Jane knew that because William was an adulterer she could not be sealed to him and therefore had proposed to be married to Joseph. However, years later Jane claimed that Smith visited her at night when he knew William would not be home and propositioned her, suggesting to her that it was God's will that she enter into a polyandrous marriage with Smith. Jane Law described Smith's proposals, saying that Smith had "asked her to give him half her love; she was at liberty to keep the other half for her husband." She refused Smith's request to marry him as a polyandrous plural wife. Law still believed Mormonism to be true, but he viewed Smith as a fallen prophet.
On January 8, 1844 Law was informed that he was no longer a counselor to Smith in the First Presidency. He was shocked and frustrated. He demanded a rehearing of his case, because the procedures for removal from the First Presidency had not been followed. The rehearing was granted and on April 18, 1844 he was tried again. However, this time he was tried as if he were a private member and not a high-ranking church official. Once again he felt this went against church protocol. The following day he was informed of his excommunication on grounds of apostasy. At this point, he felt Smith was beyond saving, and that it was his duty to expose him to the rest of the Mormon community.
Law met privately after his excommunication with other opponents of Smith and formed a group. After they were joined by two boys, Dennison L. Harris and Robert Scott, they were exposed after these boys reported their plans to Smith. Shortly thereafter, Law created the True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or Reformed Mormon Church was a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement. It was founded in the spring of 1844 in Nauvoo, Illinois by leaders dissenting from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.The Reformed Church's president...
and became its President. On June 8, 1844 Law and his followers published the Nauvoo Expositor
Nauvoo Expositor
The Nauvoo Expositor was a newspaper in Nauvoo, Illinois that published only one issue, which was dated June 7, 1844. Its publication set off a chain of events that led to the death of Latter Day Saint movement founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, a newspaper which outlined Law's contentions against Smith, including the then-secret practice of plural marriage
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
. The reaction to the newspaper was not what Law expected, and after two days of consultation, the printing press was ordered destroyed by the Nauvoo city council. It was destroyed later that day.
Smith was later arrested and taken to nearby Carthage, Illinois
Carthage, Illinois
Carthage is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,725 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hancock County. Carthage is most famous for being the site of the murder of Joseph Smith in 1844.- History :...
on charges relating to the destruction of the Expositor. On June 27, 1844 Smith was murdered
Death of Joseph Smith, Jr.
The death of Joseph Smith, Jr. on June 27, 1844 marked a turning point for the Latter Day Saint movement, of which Smith was the founder and leader. When he was attacked and killed by a mob, Smith was the mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois, and running for President of the United States...
by a mob.
For many years, Law was accused of being a member or a leader of the mob that killed Smith. However, Law's diary shows that he was not in Carthage at the time of the murder, though he had been present there earlier in the day. Although Law expresses outrage and remorse at Smith's death in his private journal, he goes on to say that it was Smith's goal "to demoralize the world, to give it to Satan, his master .... He claimed to be a god, whereas he was only a servant of the Devil, and as such he met his fate."
Law eventually moved to Shullsburg
Shullsburg, Wisconsin
Shullsburg is a city in Lafayette County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,246 at the 2000 census. The city is located within the Town of Shullsburg.-Geography:...
, Lafayette County, Wisconsin
Lafayette County, Wisconsin
Lafayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 16,137. Its county seat is Darlington.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, where he died in 1892.