United Latter-day Church of Jesus Christ

The United Latter-day Church of Jesus Christ (ULDC) (also known as the United Latter-day Church of Jesus Christ International, United Latter-day Church or the United Latter-day Church International) is a Mormon fundamentalist denomination. It currently spans four US states and three countries.

Steven H. Tucker has led the church since August 2007, succeeding Heber G. Smith.

Members
The number of members of the church is published yearly to church members. These totals include members over the age of 8 years old, as children under age 8 are not considered to have enough free agency to consciously choose to be baptised. The church's total population is estimated at between 100 to 200 (including younger non-baptised members) in several pocket groups in California, Utah, Arizona, and a growing colony in Evanston, Wyoming along with some members in three countries.

Doctrines
The ULDC teaches that the practice of plural marriage known as Celestial Plural Marriage, a doctrine stating that polygyny is required for the highest form of salvation. ULDC doctrine, like most Mormon fundamentalist groups, states that this highest form of eternal salvation includes godhood. Men faithful to the church are expected to marry more than one woman, in addition to paying weekly tithes and following other church teachings.

Like the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS Church), it is generally believed in the church that a man should have three wives to fulfill this requirement as taught originally by Lorin C. Woolley, whom the church considers to be a prophet.

Both men and women abide by a church dress code. Women are discouraged from wearing pants or cutting their hair short. Men usually wear plain clothing, such as a collar shirt and pants. Most clothes are homemade by members. Men and women do not have any tattoos or body piercings. The founders, John Peter Smith and Owen S. Smith were Anabaptist converts.

The church currently practices the Law of Placing, which was instituted by George Smith, meaning when a young woman reaches a marriageable age, she is taken to the prophet for a revelation as to whom she would marry. Also under the Law of Placing, the prophet elects to take and give wives to and from men according to their worthiness. Taken wives are reassigned to men that are more worthy.

The United Latter-day Church also encourages its members to partake in the church's form of the Law of Consecration or United Order. The branch that practices this in the United Latter-day Church is the Uniformed Priesthood Purpose, founded in 1937, which holds all donated church members' property, homes, as well as church copyright information, and publishing rights.

The church asserts the belief that "all are welcome to participate in the Lord's work whatever race, ethnicity, or background", but also excludes black people from the priesthood, and believes that the LDS Church was wrong to accept black people into the priesthood.

History
The church first started back during the times of Joseph Smith Jr., the first Mormon prophet. During the trek west with Brigham Young after Joseph's death, the group helped found Winter Quarters where they resided until 1995 when they moved to Layton, Utah.

The group was previously commonly known as the Smithites or the Smith clan before Heber G. Smith changed the name to the United Latter-day Church of Jesus Christ in 2005.

While the group considers itself separate and distinct from any other Mormon fundamentalist group, it was not always so. The group has revered (in addition to Joseph Smith Jr.) such individuals as Brigham Young, John Taylor, Lorin C. Woolley, Joseph Leslie Broadbent, John Y. Barlow, Joseph White Musser, and Charles Zitting to be prophets of God and presidents of the church. It was not until Leroy S. Johnson that the group split from the Short Creek community (the FLDS Church). While George W. Smith of the ULDC split from the FLDS Church, the two groups still shared much of the same fellowship under Leroy S. Johnson's and Rulon Jeffs' leadership; the ULDC no longer recognizes the priesthood authority of those who received it under Warren Jeffs.

The church also traces its priesthood lineage back to Joseph Smith Jr. and John Peter Smith, whom they believe was a member of the Council of Fifty. John later conferred priesthood authority on his grandson, Owen S. Smith. Owen then conferred on his son, George, and George on Heber. The church is now led by Steven H. Tucker after Heber's death in early August of 2007.

Controversy

Since March 06, 2008 there has been speculation that the United Latter-Day Church of Jesus Christ was an internet hoax.. Then sometime prior to September 2008, the United Latter-Day Church of Jesus Christ website was replaced by the Anti-polygamy video “Under the Banner of Heaven”. According to the “Unofficial United Latter-Day Church of Jesus” website the church has re-established itself as a Christian group that now condemns the practice of polygamy. It also states that their Prophet Steven H. Tucker has taught that Joseph Smith was no longer a prophet of God”.

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