Frederick M. Smith
Frederick Madison Smith ( January 21, 1874 - March 20, 1946 ), generally known among his followers as "Fred M." , was a church leader and author and the third President of the Communion of Christ . He served as President from 1915 until his death. His grandfather was Joseph Smith and his father was Joseph Smith III , the first President after the Church was reorganized. Fred M. was the first to graduate from Graceland University . He also got a Ph.D. in psychology from Clark University in 1916, making him one of the most educated people in his church at the time. Smith's church leadership was controversial. One biographer called him a "man of opposites" and one of the "most controversial people in church history". During his presidency, the Church began several large projects, but there was also controversy over control of the Church.
biography
Fred M. was one of the nine children of Joseph Smith III and his second wife, Bertha Madison Smith . He was born in Plano on January 21, 1874 and baptized on July 20, 1883.
Summary of his formation:
- 1895 trained at the Iowa City Academy
- 1896 University of Iowa
- 1898 BA from Graceland University - the first graduate class from that university
- 1911 MA from the University of Kansas
- 1916 Ph.D. from Clark University
On August 3, 1897, Smith married Alice Lyman Cobb (died May 4, 1926).
Succession to the Presidency
Fred M. Smith became a counselor in the First Presidency of his Church in 1902. As his father's health deteriorated, he assumed more and more responsibilities in the direction of the Church and its organizations. Joseph Smith III died on December 10, 1914, and Fred M. was ordained as the new president the following spring, May 5, 1915.
Zion and the Social Gospel
Smith was known for wanting to combine the concepts of emerging sociology and welfare with the church's ideas about Zion . Smith was influenced by the social gospel movement. This wanted to apply Christian ethics to social problems. This included social justice, the health system, caring for the poor, orphans and the elderly. In general, Smith wanted to address all of these issues under the call to "build Zion." In this way he supported and modernized his grandfather's concept of building a real city of Zion in Missouri.
To achieve his vision, Smith embarked on a number of ambitious programs. This included the construction of an auditorium , the enlargement of the church hospital, the construction of an old people's home in Independence and the start of an agricultural cooperative.
As part of his modernization program, Smith used the radio. In 1924, the church-owned radio station became the first church radio station in the United States to be licensed.
Smith was President of the Church during the Great Depression . As a result, many projects were postponed or canceled because the church was in financial difficulty.
Control of the church
There has been controversy in the church as to who is in control of these. This controversy resulted in a significant decline in membership. Members who opposed this policy formed their own breakaway churches. Smith was the first President of the Church to submit his resignation. However, the general conference of his church rejected this resignation.
He died in 1946 and was succeeded by his brother Israel A. Smith .
The Frederick Madison Smith Library is one of two Graceland University libraries . It is located on their Lamoni campus and opened in 1966.
Individual evidence
- ^ Edwards, Our Legacy of Faith, 207.
- ^ Edwards, The Chief, Jan.
- ^ Edwards, The Chief, Sept.
- ^ Howard, The Church through the Years, 2: 232.
- ^ Edwards, Our Legacy of Faith, 313.
- ^ Howlett et al., Community of Christ, 41.
- ^ Edwards, The Chief, 182.
- ^ Howard, The Church Through the Years, 2: 227.
literature
- Paul M. Edwards, Our Legacy of Faith: A Brief History of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , Herald House: 1991.
- Paul M. Edwards, The Chief: An Administrative Biography of Fred M. Smith , Herald House: 1988.
- Richard P. Howard, The Church Through the Years, two volumes, Herald House: 1992 and 1993.
- David J. Howlett, Barbara B. Walden, and John C. Hamer, Community of Christ: An Illustrated History, Herald House: 2010.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Smith, Frederick M. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Smith, Frederick Madison (full name); M., Fred (short form) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | second president of the communion of Christ |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 21, 1874 |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 20, 1946 |