Brigham Young's 1846 Revelation to Reuben Miller Exposing James J. Strang

After the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith in June 1844, several men claimed the right to lead the Church. Among the most aggressive was James J. Strang of Wisconsin, who produced a letter he claimed Joseph Smith had written appointing him successor, along with revelations of his own. Many honest Saints were troubled, and some were swayed. One of them was Reuben Miller, a faithful elder of the Church.

In late January 1846, in Nauvoo, Brigham Young did for Reuben Miller something he almost never did: he dictated a revelation in the first-person voice of the Lord, so that Miller could judge Strang's claims by heaven's own answer:

"Thus saith the Lord unto Reuben Miller through Brigham Young — that Strang is a wicked & corrupt man & that his revelations are as false as he is — therefore turn away from his folly — & never let it be said of Reuben Miller, that he ever was led away & entangled by such nonsense."

Miller turned away from Strang's claims, returned to the Twelve and the body of the Saints, emigrated west, and later served as a bishop in Utah Territory — so that, as the revelation had promised, it was never said of Reuben Miller that he had fallen for such foolishness.

The episode is one of only three written dialogic revelations from Brigham Young's ministry — together with the February 1874 United Order revelation and the "Word and Will of the Lord" of January 14, 1847, now Doctrine and Covenants 136. It shows the practical role continuing revelation played in the succession crisis after the martyrdom: heaven did not leave honest seekers like Reuben Miller to sort out counterfeits on their own.