Joseph Musser and Berry Knoll
Joseph Musser has been referenced again in the proposed sale of Berry Knoll Farms. UEP Trust fiduciary Bruce R. Wisan is negotiating to sell Berry Knoll to a member of Centennial Park, a polygamous group that is separate from but share historical roots with the FLDS.
In a new court filing, Wisan states that ''FLDS leadership rejected the purported Berry Knoll temple prophesy of Joseph Musser many years ago.''
I have been researching Joseph Musser and his history and here is some of what I have found.
First, historian Marianne Watson provided this photograph of Musser, apparently at Berry Knoll, during a visit to Short Creek in 1950. Watson is a granddaughter of Joseph Lyman Jessop, whose diary refers to Musser's prophecy about a temple at Berry Knoll, which at the southwest edge of Colorado City.
Watson said her grandfather accompanied Musser to Short Creek in 1950, as a rift took place between him and other members of the Fundamentalist Mormon community there.
Watson said Jessop wrote in his diary that ''the purpose of this trip is to find out how the people feel toward Joseph (Musser) . . .''
Watson told me that in his diary, her grandfather recounted a conversation between Musser and Leroy S. Johnson, who would eventually lead the Short Creek community: ''I stood by Uncle John (Barlow) until the end. I was at his elbow, and I know you (Joseph) now hold the head place, and I will support you as I did him (John).''
Watson said the diary also recounts that later that same day, Johnson stated to Musser: ''We are under covenant to do what we are doing, and we cannot change from that course. We have no arguments to make. If the Lord wants to use an incapacitated leader (referring to Musser) to lead some people astray, that is The Lord's business.''
Musser had suffered a stroke a year earlier, after which he had made a controversial appointment of Rulon Allred to the priesthood council, which then oversaw the developing community of Short Creek.
Jessop also wrote: ''Joseph seemed to feel quite appalled at their persistent stand against him and said to them, 'Well, you just as well go on your way and we'll go our way.''
Johnson seemed to hold no hard feelings against Musser. Before Musser and Jessop left town, he invited them to tour his new home in Short Creek, according to Jessop's diary.
And in numerous sermons, republished and still read by the FLDS, Johnson spoke highly of Musser. In Zion's Light Shining, I found this statement from Johnson in a sermon about the United Order: ''But in order to do so, we have got to do just what President Joseph Musser said, we are going to have to become perfectly united. He pronounced great blessings upon this place, and when he was asked, ''When will these blessings be materialized?'' He said, ''When you become united.''
Johnson also said this, as reprinted on Feb. 22, 1999: ''We are of all people most blessed. The Lord has watched over this little spot of ground. It has been sacred to Him for many many generations of time, because it has been revealed to us that this is the vicinity in which Christ visited the Nephite people. And we all know what took place at that time, the story of the Book of Mormon.''
Rulon T. Jeffs, Johnson's successor, also spoke contradictorily about Musser. Rulon Jeffs mostly condemned Musser for his promotion of a priesthood council, based on a 1880 revelation to Wilford Woodruff, over the ''one-man rule'' laid out in verse 7 of section 132 of the Doctrine & Covenants, a Mormon scripture. Jeffs was a ''one-man rule'' proponent, as he makes clear in his 1997 book, ''History of Priesthood Succession.''
Jeffs attributed Musser's 1949 stroke to an act of God fulfilling section 85 of the Doctrine & Convenants and says Musser was ''the center of all of the apostasies that have taken place.'' Jeffs also described Musser as the ''patron saint'' of the Allred (Apostolic United Brethren) and Centennial Park groups.
Yet it was Musser who converted Jeffs, as well as Jeffs' father, to fundamentalism. Musser ordained Jeffs to various offices, gave him what is known as a patriarchal blessing that predicted he would ''sit in council with the Prophets of God'' and sealed Jeffs to his wife Kathleen in 1942.
''God knows I loved Joseph W. Musser and all of my other brethren in the Council,'' Jeffs stated in his book. ''I have engaged in ordinances to prove it. Joseph Musser introduced me into this work through my father, who knew him in the mission field. And I found him to be a fine and great man. I had to part with him at the time I was called and ordained in 1945, when he wanted, and asked my father to tell me to be sure and see him first when I came to town, to ordain me.''
One ex-FLDS member told me Musser is the ''single greatest missionary in the fundamentalist movement,'' mostly because of his publication of Truth magazine, which promoted the fundamentalist point of view in the 1930s-1950s.
When I ask FLDS members about Musser, most tell me he did a lot of good works for the Fundamentalist movement though he is not considered part of their chain of priesthood leaders.
Over in Centennial Park, Musser still holds that position. His portrait is included in wall displays of former presidents of The Work in some homes.
35 Comments:
So Joseph Musser is one of the Prophets for the other main group in the Short Creek area? Did he keep council of elders? I'm thinking that most of the people from Principle Voices (or whatever the pro-polygamy group is) are from that faction. From what I've read they don't seem to be involved with underage marriages and they seem to be more open to being a part of the wider world. Perhaps there's something to be said for keeping a system of checks and balances (such as a council for governance) even in the Lord's work. Perhaps, especially in the Lord's work.
"Johnson also said this on Feb. 22, 1999:..."
President Johnson passed away in November of 1986
Argh. That is the second time I have made that mistake. The date is the date of the publication of the sermon. I will fix it in the post.
Argh. That is the second time I have made that mistake. The date is the date of the publication of the sermon. I will fix it in the post.
Thanks for a bit of a history lesson here!
stange if what joseph musser said that many years ago, it never came to the forefront till 4yrs AFTER the trust was deserted and taken over by Bruce Wisan by the State of Utah.
NOW, after all these years flds decided its "sacred"? convienent, i would say.
"NOW, after all these years flds decided its "sacred"? convienent, i would say."
I would say they made others aware of pre-existing records on the matter, not that it was something recently "decided" upon, unless of course we use selective reading skills to observe what is directly in front of us.
Even Wisan's argument confirms it is not something new:
"In a new court filing, Wisan states that ''FLDS leadership rejected the purported Berry Knoll temple prophesy of Joseph Musser many years ago.'"
onthestreet said:
MUDDY: It's not the sacredness of dirt or of dirty panties. It is the sacredness of what is clean, one's faith and religious order.
HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA, clean??? you have got to be kidding me?
Men with mulitple wives from 50 to 12yrs old, oh yeah buddie thats clean.lol
Stealing from your sheep to fill your pockets? lol yeah thats clean!
Spreading a little girls legs to follow commands of a Pervert Prophet,, whoa now, thats Clean!! lol
Standing mothers up in front of the press to protect a mans ass? Right. thats clean and relgious!
Try again dirt bag!
So... I am confused. Would one of you scholars help me understand this situation.
Joseph Musser declares the Berry Knoll a temple site but then has a falling out with the FLDS leadership over the "one man rule."
Leroy Johnson declares that a temple will not be built until the saints go to Zion.
The Centennial group still believes that Joseph Musser was a prophet and therefore that the Berry Knoll is in fact a holy site.
Yet it is the FLDS who are now claiming that the site is sacred?
onthestreet said...
"This is why the Governor's house burned down. This is why the cities of Galvaston and Houston were ravished. This is why your entire economy is not in the toilet. This is why you now have Allah Bama to deal with, and wars without end. Then starvation and plaque, and more storms and mobs, until all is swept clean."
This argument is only about 2000 years old... Maybe it's time for some new material. This comedy routine is getting tired.
onthestreet said...
"You manifest what every apostate manifests, tiring in the Truth and in well-doing."
No. I tire of pedophiles, thieves and liars pretending that because they do it in God's name it is somehow righteousness.
the land was so holy that it was farmed for years and years. Got news for you onthestreet.
The temple was BUILT! but not on berry knoll, in TEXAS!.
And by the way, Texas economies are one of the FEW who are making money, has jobs and our economy is STABLE.
weird I never saw a picture of Joseph Musser on any wall at YFZ ranch?
Centinnel Park is going to make a holy profit on it, cause they are going to BUY it and BUILD Holy houses on it, LOL
rebeckah.....you said, "From what I've read they don't seem to be involved with underage marriages"
When I was growing up, and was only 13 years old, Guy Musser was their leader. We had the split happening, and many had chosen their side. My family was split in half. My brothers went with Mussers, and my father went with Uncle Roy. I had my choice then as well. Guy Musser had a man ready for me when I would say the word. All I had to do was tell my brothers and they would take me to Guy and I would be married. The man was ready and willing to take me.
I had many friends that went with the Mussers. And they got involved with the trade deals that those men were doing. Trade daughters for daughters. It didn't matter the age, just trade what you have and make them your wife. My father was asked several times by men if he would like to trade his daughters for their daughters. I was so grateful to my father that he had enough of the knowledge of who was the prophet to not trade any of us girls. If he had I know I would have run away to the protection of Uncle Roy.
Thanks, Brooke, for this insightful post (and to Marianne for the great photo).
I have read Lyman Jessop's journal and know the story well.
The period around the "Split" is one of my favorite periods to study in Mormon fundamentist history, and I have had the privlege of speaking to people on both sides of the schism.
Joseph Musser is a very important figure to me, as I trace my priesthood lineage through him. He was a man with faults, but also one of my personal heroes.
orson black, im supposing is related to orson william black is running from the law just as warren jeffs did. Black is beleived to be in Mexico where he started another polygamy group.
This black beat his wives, drugged them. His wife tammy testified against him in court. But he ran! typical!
Rose, if I understand you correctly are you saying that this group also particpated in underaged marriages? Do they continue to do so? It's difficult to keep each different group together. I believe I've read of at least 4 different FLDS splinter groups.
onthestreet,
your full of bull shit and you know it! Christ never gave ages of when women would marry.
2.I thought you said FLDS were self suffiecent ?
3. hunting souls, fishemen? LOL you crack me up.
4. the only thing FLDS are hunting is new meat in underage girls, you heretic!
5. Get some Help! PROFESSIONAL HELP! your a disgrace to God and the human race.
rebeckah...yes they did at the time have underage marriages. No most of the young in that group are all use as every other teen in the world is. Years ago when one of my brothers that had joined that group, was wanting to get married, he was told by their leader, "If you want a clean girl, you will have to marry one at age 13 or 14. They are all use after that, and even some before that." This is what my brother told me. He was very troubled because all of his sisters could stay clean, why couldn't those girls? So he married a very young girl. But he waited years before he and her had any relations. He waited for her to grow up, clean.
sorry... I meant -now most of the young in that group are all use as every other teen in the world is.
I don't know if they do underage marriages any more....they just all have fun.
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Rose, I wouldn't be bad mouthing the Centennial Park group about their alleged underage marriage practices and "trading" of daughters. That kind of talk is just going to be used as fodder for the anti-plyg nutters to accuse all plygs of such activity.
duaneh1....I'm sorry if it sounded like I was bad mouthing them. I didn't mean it to sound like that. Thank you for the correction. I will try to do better.
marrie said...
onthestreet,
your full of bull shit and you know it! Christ never gave ages of when women would marry.
1 Corinthians, Chapter 7 V36: But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.
Cheese, "passes the flower of her age" is NOT an age. It does not refer to menstruation or any other milestone. It's a generic term for getting older. My Bible says it this way:
1 Corinthians:
36If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if she is getting along in years and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. 37But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. 38So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does even better
Taken in context the this section of the Bible seems to indicate the the FLDS obsession with women having all the children they can pop out isn't Biblical at all.
Rose, I'd like to know how you can know that the girls from the other sect are "used" as teenagers. It would appear to me that you are simply accepting the word of others. Which sounds a lot like what the FLDS accuse the rest of us of doing to them. I'm not trying to be mean, but what you sow is what you reap, according to the Bible. Perhaps the intolerance and judgement against the FLDS is them reaping what they have sown to others. (I am referring to this as a spiritual reaping and sowing, not saying that there are specific instances of retaliation.) Just a thought.
So I think I agree with you Rebekkka! You get to have your religious beliefs and practice them and I do too! Isn't America grand? You practicing your religion and me practicing mine?
BTW: you asked rose how she knows the others are 'used'. I guess if someone looks like a soggy sandwitch then they are likely one!
rebekkka said: ".....but he who does not marry her does even better
so what's your take on prop 8?
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Rebeckah! Rose already apologized. As far as I'm concerned, they can gossip all they want. I just think gossiping about underage marriages right now is a bad idea.
I also noticed the FLDS posters will not hesitate to concede a point when put on the spot. Plygots will deny, lie, mislead, and use any tactic possible to support their position and discredit their opponets.
This puts the FLDS members at a serious disadvantage, they need to quit being such wimps and pushovers. Beating up on plygs is just too easy for the ant-plyg nutters, that needs to change
Cheese, I have no problem with you practicing your religion as long as the practice of it does not involve underaged marriages and childbirth. I don't agree with much of the FLDS doctrine (or Mormon doctrine, for that matter) but I don't feel the slightest need to try and stop the practice of those doctrines. My "line in the sand" is essentially girls under the age of 18 giving birth to children. As for Prop 8, I don't live in California but I'm all for the definition of marriage being limited to "a legal contract between consenting adults". The key words, however, are consenting and, most importantly, adults. After that, whatever makes you happy, go for it. If you're right, God bless you. If you're wrong, you and God can work it out between you. God doesn't need my help in the matter.
Oh, and Rose, I sincerely apologize if I made you feel like I was attacking you. I wasn't. I meant the question exactly as I asked it. Do you have proof or were you just taking someone else's word for it. I also meant my observation just as I wrote it. I could be wrong, it's just a thought I had. So please forgive me if my words have made you feel like I was judging you or being disrespectful. I had no intent to do so.
Rebekkka, I appreciate that you have a moral opinion that you refer to as a 'line in the sand', but your 'lines in the sand' need to just affect you and your own religious convictions. The only 'line in the sand' in relation to us censuring each other is the same 'line in the sand' that is spelled out in the First Amendment. The government has been the aggressor in crossing the 'line'.
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Rebeckah said...
Cheese, I have no problem with you practicing your religion as long as the practice of it does not involve underaged marriages and childbirth.
reply: Rebeckah, I appreciate that you have a moral opinion about what the proper age is for a girl to marry, but that has nothing whatsoever to do with me and my religious beliefs and practices. As far as whether or not there should be any childbirth taking place in my family, well I suppose you'll just have to leave that up to me and my wife.(or wives as the case may or maynot be)
rebeckah said: "I don't agree with much of the FLDS doctrine (or Mormon doctrine, for that matter) but I don't feel the slightest need to try and stop the practice of those doctrines."
And the relevancy of that statement would be...? Like as if your opinion has anything to do with it!!!
Rebeckah...
Oh...I didn't take offense. No need to worry about that.I didn't feel as if you attacking me, I've just been away...rather busy. I have a son that has been friends with young teens out in Centennial Park. He knows more about them than I do. That's where I get any info about them. So maybe you could say I am taking his word for it. But I was talking mostly about when I was a teen. The under age marriages I saw...my friends. The trade marriages I saw...my friends. My older sisters friends.
You didn't come off as judging or being disrespectful. I understand what you were saying. Thanks Rebeckah.rubsuro
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