Latter Day Church of Christ - Beliefs

Beliefs

The Latter Day Church of Christ claims to maintain the original beliefs and teachings of Joseph Smith Jr., viewing other sects in the Latter Day Saint movement as incorrect. The Latter Day Church of Christ has continued the practice of polygamy since inception; additionally it practices close—occasionally incestuous—marriage to maintain "pure bloodlines" that they claim to trace to Jesus Christ. The Latter Day Church of Christ also practices the Law of Consecration, the United Order, and the "Law of Satisfaction."

During the first years of the church, Kingston and his followers wore unique outer garments that led to people referring to them as "blue-coats." Men and boys wore blue coverall-type suits tied with strings; women and girls wore plain blue dresses. As a symbol of their renunciation of worldly goods, the outer clothing contained no pockets in which possession could be carried, although later an inside pocket was provided for the sanitary measure of carrying a handkerchief. All went bareheaded and barefoot.

The community practices plural marriage and there have been numerous legal issues regarding this in the state of Utah. However, most civil cases against Kingston clan members have been for having polygamous relationships with members of their own extended family.

The "ordained" male members of the Kingston clan are designated by numbers: “Brother #1,” “Brother #2,” “Brother #3,” etc. The children are numbered thus: If the ordained man is #47, his first wife is #471, the first male child is 4711 and the first female child 4712; the second wife's children would be #4721, #4722, #4723, and so on, with girls having even numbers and boys having odds. Charles W. Kingston taught that “Every individual...no matter what authority, standing, or station he is in, is responsible to the one above him in exactly the same way as if that individual was the Savior himself....We must look at the one above us in the same light as we look at the Savior.” This doctrine is known as the Law of Satisfaction and it places immense importance on honoring all participants with lower numbers, who are higher in the hierarchy.

The church says it believes that every child is a priceless blessing and that it emphasizes family values, education, and self-sufficiency. Children are allowed to attend public school and some go on to receive college educations. The church recently established a private school, which almost all of the children now attend.