John Taylor (Mormon Prophet)

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John Taylor

John Taylor , (born November 1, 1808 in Milnthorpe , Westmorland , England ; † July 25, 1887 in Kaysville , Utah Territory) was the third prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (" Mormons ") from 1880 to 1887 . He was an eyewitness to the murder of Joseph Smith . In 1851 he came to Germany on a missionary trip and, together with German believers, produced the first German translation of the Book of Mormon .

Life

John Taylor was born on November 1, 1808, the second of ten children of James and Agnes Taylor in Milnthorpe, England. He broke off an apprenticeship as a cooper that he began in 1822 because his master went bankrupt. In 1824 Tylor left the Anglican Church and became a Methodist. In his free time he is very busy studying the Bible and doing theological works. He becomes a lay preacher. In 1830 his parents and siblings immigrated to Toronto , Canada. John stays behind to handle the family's affairs and follows in 1832. In Canada he continues to preach the Methodist church and study the Bible. In the spring of 1836, Apostle Parley P. Pratt of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came to Toronto and told John Taylor about the restoration of the original Church. John Taylor believes him and joins the new denomination through baptism.

Church leader

Shortly after his baptism, Taylor was called to preside over the Church in Canada, which he served from 1836 to 1837. In 1837 he went to Kirtland to meet the Prophet Joseph Smith. He was ordained an Apostle on December 19, 1838 in Far West, Missouri, by Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball on behalf of Joseph Smith , then in Liberty Prison. In this capacity he served a mission in the British Isles from 1840 to 1841. He was the first missionary in Ireland and the Isle of Man. In 1842 he was elected a member of the Nauvoo City Council.

On June 27, 1844, John Taylor witnessed the deaths of Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum in Cartage Prison. He was seriously injured in the process. His pocket watch saved his life as a bullet trap.

In 1846 Taylor helped establish the Mormon Battalion in Council Bluffs , Iowa. From 1846 to 1847 he served another mission in England and then led a large group of converts to Utah. From 1850 to 1851 he served as a missionary in France. In 1854 he was elected to the Legislative Assembly for the Utah Territory. From 1854 to 1856 he served in New York overseeing the affairs of the Church in the eastern United States.

President of the Church

Photo of the handwritten revelation from 1886 .

Since the death of Brigham Young on August 29, 1877, John Taylor has led the Church as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles . It was not until October 1880 that the First Presidency was reestablished and Taylor sustained as President of the Church with George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith as counselors. In 1878 he founded the Primary Association, the church organization for children up to the age of 12. Taylor dedicated the Logan Utah Temple on May 17, 1884 .

His presidency fell at a time of great change and persecution for the Church. The Edmunds Act of 1882 made polygamy a criminal offense. Many members of the Church were fined and jailed as a result. Members of the Church were generally banned from holding public office. After a penal order was issued against Taylor in 1885, he had to retire for the last two and a half years of his life and directed the Church from underground, mostly through letters. Taylor is considered one of the most vehement defenders of polygamy, a prophecy allegedly originating from him that the true Church will never give up this doctrine was found for a time in some non-English editions of the Mormon scriptures " Doctrine and Covenants ". However, it was never included in the original English edition by the main church, but only later by some polygamistic fundamentalists in their own editions.

John Taylor as author and editor

Taylor has published the Book of Mormon, founded church magazines, and published missionary brochures in numerous countries:

Editions of the Book of Mormon directed by John Taylor:

  • 1840 England (English)
  • 1850 France (French)
  • 1851 Germany (German)

Newspapers and magazines:

  • from 1842 editor of Times and Seasons (official newspaper of the Church in Nauvoo)
  • 1842–1843 Editor of Wasp (local newspaper in Nauvoo)
  • 1843–1845 Editor of Nauvoo Neighbor (local newspaper in Nauvoo)
  • 1850 founder and publisher of Étoile du Déseret (Church Chronicle in France)
  • 1850 founder and publisher of Zions Panier (church magazine in Germany)
  • 1854 Editor of The Mormon (church newspaper in New York)

Books

  • 1851 The Government of God
  • 1882 The Mediation and Atonement

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Teachings of Presidents of the Church, John Taylor, pp. VII-VIII, Intellectual Reserve 2002, also on the Internet [1]
  2. ↑ Teachings of Presidents of the Church, John Taylor, p. 206, Intellectual Reserve 2002, also on the Internet [2]
  3. ^ Church Almanac 2007, p. 50, Deseret Morning News 2006
  4. ↑ Teachings of Presidents of the Church, John Taylor, pp. VIII-X, Intellectual Reserve 2002, also on the Internet [3]

Further literature

predecessor Office successor
Brigham Young President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints
1880 - 1887 		Wilford Woodruff
personal data
SURNAME Taylor, John
BRIEF DESCRIPTION 3. President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
DATE OF BIRTH November 1, 1808
PLACE OF BIRTH Milnthorpe , England
DATE OF DEATH July 25, 1887
Place of death Kaysville , Utah