"A Doctrine of Devils": The Teachings of Joseph Morris

Joseph Morris is another individual once associated with the Church who taught the false doctrine of multiple probations and founded the group known as the Morrisites. A good book on Joseph Morris and his religious movement can be found in C. LeRoy Anderson work, Joseph Morris and the Saga of the Morrisites (Logan, UT: Utah State University Press, 1988).

Morris claimed that he had passed through two previous mortal probations and that he had previously been Seth the son of Adam and later Moses and that he was going through his third incarnation as Joseph Morris and that he was the seventh angel mentioned in the book of Revelation. 

Anderson explains “Morris combined the principal of spirit transmigration with his evolutionary cosmology. Its basic tenet was that the spirit must enter a variety of states or manlike bodies at different points in evolutionary development in order that all eternal laws might be obeyed and the spirit might gain sufficient knowledge to become perfected `in order that they might continue to pass on from one stage of progression to another, and, ultimately, become Gods like unto the Eternal Father.’” Anderson, Joseph Morris and the Saga of the Morrisites, 40.

After Morris's death, many of his revelations and teachings were published by his followers. These provide information on his religious views. In one example, Morris taught the following:

"The seven angels are subject to each other and succeed each other in presiding. Two of them, Enos and Seth, the sixth and seventh angels, are obligated by law to fill three missions on the earth. Enos filled his second mission to this earth in the person of Elijah, and his third in the person of Joseph Smith. Seth filled his second mission in the person of Moses and is filling his third in the person of Joseph Morris."

Joseph Morris, “An Article on the Order of Sevens,” in The “Spirit Prevails” Containing the Revelations, Articles and Letters Written By Joseph Morris (San Francisco, CA: J. A. Dove & Company, 1886), 644-645.

 In another example, Morris further expounded this teaching.

“What Spirit was that which inhabited the body of Abel? The same spirit that inhabited the body of Aaron, who holds the keys of the lesser priesthood … What spirit was that which dwelt in the body of Enos? It was the same spirit that dwelt in the body of Elijah the prophet.—the same spirit that dwelt in the body of Joseph Smith … What spirit was it that dwelt in the body of Moses? The same that dwelt in the body of Seth. What spirit is it that now dwells in the body of your humble servant? The same spirit that dwelt in the bodies of Moses and Seth. Why was it sent forth upon the earth now? To cast the devil out of the Church and leads it triumphant over all its enemies.”

“How many progressive estates did the eternal Father pass through before he become a God? Ten. What were they? His first was a spiritual estate, his Second, a probation in the flesh; his Third, a resurrected or celestial estate. In his Fourth estate he went forth upon a mortal earth, received a body, died upon a cross, and was raised again from the dead. In his Fifth estate he sat at the right hand of his Father, and was a Mediator, and contended against and conquered death, hell, and the grave. In his Sixth estate he took mortal bodies upon many mortal earths, and officiated in the office of a high priest, a prophet and a president. His mission to each of the last five of these earths, was to preside over a dispensation of a thousand years on each earth; on the first of the five he presided over the first thousand years, on the second of the five, overt the second thousand years, and so on, unto and including the fifth. In the Seventh estate he was a prophet, Redeemer, lawgiver and president of [the] seventh dispensation holding the keys of the holy priesthood. In his Ninth estate he went forth upon his own earth to commence mortality, and having completed his mission he died. He afterwards returned to his own earth and commenced the resurrection of his own posterity, and after in the last great change he ascended his throne, and this was his tenth estate.”

John R. Eardley, Gems of Inspiration: A Collection of Sublime Thoughts by Modern Prophets (San Francisco, CA: Joseph A. Dove, 1899), 34.

By February 1861 Morris had persuaded a small group to follow him including a man then serving as a bishop in South Weber. Hearing about this Wilford Woodruff and John Taylor visited the ward there and put things in order. The following is from Wilford Woodruff’s account in his journal for February 11, 1861 (Spelling in the original):

Bishop Wests took us into his sleigh and drove us to South Webber whare we had an appointment to regulate that Branch of the Church. The Bishop was in apostacy & was leading away others. They had got a New Prophet to slide out of the Church upon. We had a large assembly of saints from other Places. Bishop Cook Came in & opened the way by singing & Prayer.

I then called upon Bishop Richard Cook to speak and requested him to tell us his feelings if he believed in Joseph Morris as a Prophet to tell us so, & to tell us what his feelings were in relation to the Presidency of the Church. He arose & spoke some time without touching the subjet. I again requested him to Come to the point. He then said yes I do Believe in Joseph Morris as a Prophet whom God has raised up to lead this Church & kingdom agreeable to the Revelation in the Doctrins & Covenants which says I will raise up unto you a Prophet like unto Moses &c. I do not Believe that Brigham Young is a prophet or has ever had any revelation or inspiration more than any sectarian Priest, & I believe this Church will ownly be known in name in 10 years unless God does raise up a Prophet." When he Closed some of his party got up & Bore the same testimony.

We then sent for there fals Prophet & Called upon him to speak. He spoke about half an hour. He said Brigham Young was not a prophet & Joseph Smith did not hold the Keys of the Priesthood & was ordained of man while He Joseph Morris was ordained of the Father, & Held six times more keys of the Priesthood than Joseph did. He Said he was the seventh Angel, & much other nonsens he Presented before the Assembly.

When He got through Elder Taylor spoke to the Assembly & showed Brother Cook the Position He was in. He bore testimony that Brigham Young was a prophet of God & he said that He himself was more of a Prophet than Morris was. Brigham Young in saying that He did not profess to be a prophet seer & Revelator as Joseph Smith was, was speaking of men being born Natural Prophets & seers. Many have the gift of seeing through seer stones without the Priesthood at all. He had not this gift naturally yet He was an Apostle & the Presidet of the Church & kingdom of God on the Earth and all the Keys of the Holy Priesthood & of Revelation was sealed upon him & the spirit & power of Revelation was upon him daily.

When He Closed I spoke to the people & bore testimony to the truth of what Elder Taylor had said. Morris had been Cut off from the Church twice for Adultery in the Territory, And He had spent about one year with a woman whose husband was Crazy. I told Morris that He was not a Prophet of God Neither was He the Seventh Angels that when the 7th Angel Came to Earth He would not spend the first year of his Mission with a woman whose Husband was Crazy & Commit Adultery with Her. I showed the folly of Richard Cook & others following such a Man.

When I Closed my remarks Morris Denyed of Being with that woman. Bishop West arose & bore testimony that what I had said was true. We then took all the Names of the persons who professed to believe in Joseph Morris as the prophet of God raised up to lead the Church. There was 16 Names Given as follows: Richard Cook William Kendall Nels Morrison Mrs Hannah Cook John Cook Robert Farley Nathan Brooks Mrs Margaret Cook John Firth John Parsons John Trolsom Mrs Hellen Cook Mrs Sarah Cook Mrs Mary Cook Mrs Joanna Kendall.

John Taylor then moved that those sixteen named persons be Cut off from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I seconded the motion & they were Cut off from the Church without a disscenting voice. We then Nominated Philo Allen to Preside over the remainder of that Branch of the Church which was Carried unanimously. We also voted to unite that Branch to Ogden under the Charge of the Presidet & Bishop of that Place.

Wilford Woodruff Journal, February 11, 1861.

Morris cultivated a group of several hundred followers who provoked a violent confrontation during which he was killed. Afterwards the Morrisites scattered and split into several factions that continued to promote variations on Morris's teachings for a time.