• Latest News
    • Latest News
    • Women's History Tour
    • Winter 2023 Book Series
    • Church History Lectures
  • We Are All Storytellers
  • Historic Sites
    • Kirtland Temple
    • Joseph Smith Historic Site
    • Liberty Hall
    • Plano Stone Church
    • Heritage Plaza
  • Resources
  • About
  • Contact
  • Donate
CCHSF
  • Latest News
    • Latest News
    • Women's History Tour
    • Winter 2023 Book Series
    • Church History Lectures
  • We Are All Storytellers
  • Historic Sites
    • Kirtland Temple
    • Joseph Smith Historic Site
    • Liberty Hall
    • Plano Stone Church
    • Heritage Plaza
  • Resources
  • About
  • Contact
  • Donate

Joseph Smith III Lesson Plans

As one explores the following fifteen lesson plans, instructors and students alike will discover the "power not my own" that led Joseph Smith III to guide the Community of Christ for 54 years. His devotion to fulfill God's will sparked a faith movement to express a passionate desire for a world as God perceives it, rather than a world through human eyes. Joseph III (1832-1914) experienced personal joy and pain, victory and defeat throughout his life. He endured the agony of his father's violent death at a very young age. Joseph buried two beloved wives and many precious children. He clung to his mother's guidance as he matured, and revered her deeply as he entered manhood. Joseph Smith III was more than a significant religious leader, he was a husband, brother, son, and father to those most precious to him. His life spanned one of America's most crucial time periods as the United States tore itself asunder and struggled to put the pieces back together, minus 600,000 lives. As the nation struggled, so Joseph struggled personally, politically and spiritually. He gathered many of the "Scattered Saints" in his early years to strengthen the infant Community of Christ, and ardently supported its continued expansion. Joseph III's leadership spanned a complete generation of faithful disciples. In his fifty-four years, the Community of Christ grew from a scattered band of diverse believers with broad differences to a teeming world-wide church of over 70,000 united by the mission of Christ. Joseph was indeed one of the greatest influences on Community of Christ history.

Learn more about Joseph Smith III and the early Community of Christ in Joseph Smith III: Pragmatic Prophet by Roger Launius (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1988) with accompanying lesson plans for a deeper understanding of this "giant" of history. All lesson plans were created by Kevin and Katie Bryant, 2010.

NOTE: The Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation is pleased to make the Joseph Smith III lesson plans available for use by all. To help the Foundation produce additional resources such as these, we would ask you to consider a donation of $2 per lesson plan download. Donations are accepted online here.

Thank you for helping share and preserve church heritage with your generosity!
Picture
Lesson One
A Mormon Heritage
  • 1805 Map of North America
  • Nauvoo Vicinity map

Lesson Two
The Formative Years, 1844-46
  • 1846 Map of Nauvoo
  • Image of Joseph Smith III

Lesson Three
Maturity, 1846-56
  • Succession chart by John Hamer
  • Image of Emmeline Griswold

Lesson Four
Origins of the Reorganization
  • Images of Jason Briggs and Zenas Gurley, Sr.
  • Scattered Saints map by John Hamer

Lesson Five
The Search
  • Images of Edmund C. Briggs and Samuel Gurley

Lesson Six
Getting Started
  • Early RLDS branches, map by John Hamer

Lesson Seven
Forging an Organization

Lesson Eight
And the Lord Called His People, Zion
  • Lamoni map by John Hamer

Lesson Nine
The Legacy of Plural Marriage
  • Image of Louisa Beaman

Lesson Ten
The Utah Mission
  • Dueling Cousins

Lesson Eleven
Politicking Against Polygamy

Lesson Twelve
Crisis in the Ranks

Lesson Thirteen
The Golden Years
  • Image of Liberty Hall

Lesson Fourteen
Joseph at Home
  • Family Labels
  • Image of Bertha Madison
  • Image of Ada Rachel Clark

Lesson Fifteen
Twilight
  • Image of Joseph Smith III in his later years
  • Stone Church sanctuary for Joseph Smith III's Fiftieth Anniversary as President

Community of Christ
Historic Sites Foundation

PO Box 338
Nauvoo IL 62354
217-453-2246

info@historicsitesfoundation.org
Our Mission
Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation supports preserving and sharing Community of Christ historic sites with present and future generations.
Privacy Policy
Refund Policy
Site Navigation
About Us
Contact Us
Donate
News & Events
Resources

Historic Sites
Kirtland Temple
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Liberty Hall
Plano Stone Church
Heritage Plaza

  • Latest News
    • Latest News
    • Women's History Tour
    • Winter 2023 Book Series
    • Church History Lectures
  • We Are All Storytellers
  • Historic Sites
    • Kirtland Temple
    • Joseph Smith Historic Site
    • Liberty Hall
    • Plano Stone Church
    • Heritage Plaza
  • Resources
  • About
  • Contact
  • Donate