Four-page letter written by Joseph Warner 28 July 1877. 5x8 inches. References polygamy, and Joseph Morris and his followers. Offers rare insight into a little-known portion of Mormon and Utah history.

…with…

Joseph Morris And The Saga of The Morrisites. C. LeRoy Anderson. Utah State University Press. 1988.

Joseph Morris, with many others, believed that the Mormon Church had become too lax in morality by the second half of the 1850s. He felt that he had been the victim of abuses of power by church leaders. Morris was a seeker of righteousness, and was well-know for devoting many hours to earnest prayer.

In 1861, after having appealed, unsuccessfully, to Brigham Young to make amends to the Mormon Church, Morris established his own church. His followers gathered at an abandoned fort on the Weber river, in anticipation of the Second Coming.

His extensive revelations were published as “The Spirit Prevails”.

The Morrisites, as well as the Josephites [RLDS] were opposed to polygamy – though the Morrisites accepted into their membership polygamous families, as long as that arrangement had been reached before joining the church.

In 1862, after a number of dissenters had left the group without being permitted to take their belongings, the Morrisites were surrounded and then attacked by the Utah State Militia. Joseph Morris was killed in the exchange of fire, as well as a few women.

This letter was written by Joseph Warner, one time claimant to be the successor to Joseph Morris. At that the time of this writing, he was living in Soda Spring, Idaho. He addressed it to the Editor of the Saints’ Herald [who at that time was Joseph Smith III] in response to and an article that mentioned an RLDS minister proselyting among the Morrisites and Daviesites.

Warner was possibly a member of the ‘Dove remnant’ of the Morrisite church, though his letter indicates that he was one of Morris’ earliest followers, having been with him ‘at Weber’.

Very much like Joseph Morris, Warner’s skills at spelling and punctuation were sorely lacking.

J. C. Clapp, the Elder mentioned in the letter, left the LDS Church, and became an active missionary for the RLDS in the northwestern territories and states.

William Davies, a former apostle of Joseph Morris, claimed to be the reincarnation of Michael the Archangel [as well as other very illustrious characters]. He was the founder of the ‘Daviesites’. His son came to be known as the “Walla Walla Jesus”, because Davies claimed his wife “the mother of deity” had given birth to the reincarnated Christ. Warner refutes Davies’ claims about his son in this letter.

John Bowman, a Morrisite who had followed the succession of James and George Dove, was also living in Soda Springs at that time.

Soda Spring 28 July 1877

Excerpts of the letter:

"...But they received not these principles through Joseph Morris, while we was together in Weber, which they no practiz in W. Walla William David [Davies] getting this principles after three year and a half, Joseph Morris was taken from us, and Caught up unto God, and his throne. The man Child, represent the priest-hood, the full key in full power like unto Moses. they say two difference people Some who profess to be a prophet and Sear and Revelator in Salt Lake, it was Jesus Christ in they twelve 12 Ch. of John Revelator...

... We few Morrisites so Called acording to they appearance of man defer Greatly betwene William Davidsites, as the Josephites defer from they Brighamites so Greatly truth and false is so great diferance as light from the Darkness and white from black...

...I have an enemeise here in Bowman house to all rightousness and Scriptures She cares not for, she is a house keeper for Bowman but he not like her, but I believe She will Soon leve the house, She against the Morrisites and Josephites, but she profess to be a Brighamites, but she is not, only Hypocrites and an enemeise to all the truth...

...I had a thought with one a Brigham-ites for a few days, he ask if I believe that Joseph Smith received the polygamy Revelation, I answear if he has received it, then they put it down to, in his day...

...I have rejecteth they murderer and whoremongers and they adulators and blasphemers and perjury and hypocrices and false swearer who say that has only one Wife and is a whoremonger and Robers which are your leaders, out their own mouth I can judge them by the forgoing and out of their own mouth they Goverment of they united States can punished them Section 112. par. 8 of Goverments and Laws.

I Close my letter and say blessed all those who love the truth. Your respectfully Joseph Worner Soda Spring Oneida. C. Idaho Territhory"

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This uncommon combination makes an 'instant collection' of a fascinating but nearly-forgotten aspect of Mormon and Utah history!