Letter of Appointment

The Letter of Appointment was a controversial three-page document used by James J. Strang and his adherents in their efforts to prove that he was the designated successor to Joseph Smith, Jr., as the prophet and president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Sent from Nauvoo, Illinois on June 19, 1844 to Strang in Burlington, Wisconsin, this missive served as the cornerstone of Strang's claims, which were ultimately rejected by the majority of Latter Day Saints. Following Strang's murder in 1856, the letter passed through various hands until acquired by Yale University, where it currently forms a part of its Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.