"A Doctrine of Devils": William McCary

William McCary was a black man who joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sometime around 1846 and appears to have been baptized by Orson Hyde. Shortly afterward he went on a mission to Cincinnati, Ohio. While there, he appears to have developed a following and engaged in strange behavior. It appears that one of McCary’s erroneous teachings was the transmigration of spirits. 

An article published in the Cincinnati Commercial on October 27, 1846 claimed that McCary “proclaimed himself Jesus Christ” and showed to his followers “the scars of wounds in his hands and limbs received on the cross” and performed “miracles with a golden rod.” Another article from the same newspaper published several weeks later on November 27, 1846 reported that this man “had visited our city with his wife, and proclaimed himself the `Lord Jesus Christ'!, established apostleship, and proceeded to organize a church of followers, numbering in male and female, some sixty persons.”

Isaac Sheen, a man who did not follow the leadership of the Twelve Apostles following the martyrdom of Joseph Smith, reported that McCary "said he was Adam, Ancient of days, Jesus, and the Lamanite prophet. Under his tuition then, Charles B. Thompson was instructed in the doctrine of transmigration, which he afterwards connected with his Beneemy doctrines. By magic arts, Mr. Williams, the impostor, deceived many for a few days or weeks. He found one who, like Thomas doubted. To convince him that he was the same Thomas, and sent again to be an apostle, he, by his ventriloquism made him believe that God spoke unto him, and called him Thomas. For teaching polygamous doctrines, the impostor was compelled to leave the city. We heard of his continued operations and tricks not far from Kanesville, shortly after.” [Isaac Sheen] “A Protest of Orson Hyde,” The True Latter-day Saints’ Herald, Cincinnati, Ohio 2, no. 1 (March 1861): 5

By March 1847 McCary was at Winter Quarters where he met with Brigham Young and several other Church leaders. During this meeting “[William] McCary made a rambling statement, claiming to be Adam, the ancient of days, and exhibiting himself in Indian costume; he also claimed to have an odd rib which he had discovered in his wife. He played on his thirty-six cent flute, being a natural musician and gave several illustrations of his ability as a mimic.” Manuscript History of the Church, March 26, 1847, in Manuscript History of Brigham Young 1846-1847, ed. Elden J. Watson (Salt Lake City, UT: Elden J. Watson, 1971), 542.

According to Stephen L. Shields, McCary, while at Winter Quarters in 1847 "continued to make uncomfortable claims, such as being the Apostle Thomas reincarnate. He was called before the high council on charges of apostasy. He left Winter Quarters and his followers set up an independent colony not far away." Steven L Shields, Divergent Paths of the Restoration: An Encyclopedia of the Smith–Rigdon Movement (Salt Lake City, UT: Signature Books. 2022), 68-69, Kindle Edition.

While there is no indication of which I am aware that Robert Matthews (Matthias) and McCary ever met or knew each other, both men appear to have believed or taught some version of reincarnation or the transmigration of souls from one mortal body to another. Matthias claimed to possess the spirt of the apostle Matthias, while McCary sometimes claimed to be the apostle Thomas. It is also interesting that in connection with the transmigration teaching each also identified themselves as Christ.

It appears that in spite of the clear teachings of the scriptures and the Prophet Joseph Smith concerning the nature of the resurrection, there were apparently some members of the Church at Winter Quarters, perhaps influenced by McCary who entertained this erroneous view of the resurrection. Several Latter-day Saint leaders addressed the Saints in order to correct erroneous doctrines which some had entertained. As noted in an earlier post, Orson Pratt spoke to the Saints on July 16, 1847, warning

"Some had been teaching the doctrine that the resurrection was by birth or through the womb but Br Pratt showed the folly of such a doctrine, & Proved by many revelations that the dead were raised by the power of God & the blowing of the Trump of Michael the Ark Angel who was Father Adam & that the graves of the Saints would be opened & their Bodies would come forth out of their graves according to the visions of Ezekiel & many of the prophets. He showed that However miraculous it might appear unto us it was just as easy for God to perform this work as it was to turn water into wine or make Bread without flour to feed a multitude. W. Woodruff followed Br Pratt & bore testimony to what had been said  & spoke in the spirit of the Lord.” (Wilford Woodruff Journal, November 21, 1847).

On  December 27, 1847 during a conference at Winter Quarters before about a thousand Latter-day Saints Brigham Young discussed the resurrection of the dead. Wilford Woodruff recorded the following

"Much important and interesting instruction was given upon these and other subjects among which was the resurrection spoken upon by Brigham Young. He said there was nothing more to be learned by the people upon the subject than what was written. The subject was made plain in the Bible and other revelations & it was not a subject that we wanted to use & at the present time as we had not come to the resurrection. But there was no person except a resurrected body who held the Keys of the resurrection. Michael the Ark Angel or Ancient of Days who was Father Adam held the keys of the resurrection." Wilford Woodruff Journal, December 27, 1847).