Charles Blancher Thompson (January 27, 1814 – February 27, 1895) was an American leader of a schismatic sect in the Latter Day Saint movement from 1848 to 1858. He claimed the title Baneemy and his followers were known as "Baneemyites".
Charles B. Thompson
Founder of the Congregation of Jehovah’s Presbytery of Zion
1848 – 1858
Personal details
Born
Charles Blancher Thompson (1814-01-27)January 27, 1814 Niskayuna, New York, United States
Died
February 27, 1895(1895-02-27) (aged 81) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Among the several aspirants to be Smith's successor, Thompson initially accepted James J. Strang as the rightful leader of the Latter Day Saints. However, in January 1848 Thompson broke with Strang after Thompson reported to having received a revelation from God while he was living in St. Louis, Missouri. Thompson began to claim that he was the reincarnation of the biblical Ephraim and that he was to be known as "Baneemy, patriarch of Zion". Thompson claimed that a revelation received by Joseph Smith on June 22, 1834, referred to him:
And I will soften the hearts of the people, as I did the heart of Pharaoh, from time to time, until my servant Baurak Ale, and Baneemy, whom I have appointed, shall have time to gather up the strength of my house ...[1]
Thompson self-published a tract entitled The Voice of Him!! That Crieth in the Wilderness, Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord!!, and gathered fifty to sixty followers around him, whom he instructed in his "School of Preparation". Thompson named his church the Congregation of Jehovah’s Presbytery of Zion, and his followers were often called Baneemyites because of Thompson's claim to the title. The group was also referred to as the Conjespresites.
In September 1853, Thompson moved his followers to Monona County, Iowa, north of Council Bluffs, where they established a communitarian commune called Preparation. Thompson enforced strict rules of behavior among his followers and published a variety of periodicals while in St. Louis and in Iowa, including Zion’s Harbinger and Baneemy’s Organ, Preparation News and Ephraim's Messenger. In 1858, Thompson published a 208-page tract entitled Law and Covenants of Israel; Written to Ephraim from Jehovah, the Mighty God of Jacob: Ephraim and Baneemy’s Proclamation.
In October 1858, Thompson's followers "ran him out of town".[2] The property owned by the commune was the subject of a lengthy court battle which was not resolved by the Iowa Supreme Court until 1867. Thompson ultimately moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where in 1892 a city directory listed him as "Reverend Charles B. Thompson". He died in Philadelphia in 1895. The 344-acre (1.39 km2) Preparation Canyon State Park in Iowa now occupies the space where Thompson's commune of Preparation once was.
Notesedit
^Doctrine and Covenants 102:8b (Community of Christ ed.). In the LDS Church edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, the passage is found in 105:27; however, the modern LDS version has replaced the code names "Barauk Ale" with "Joseph Smith, Jun." and "Baneemy" with "mine elders" in harmony with early manuscript sources. It is thought that "Baneemy" may have originally had reference to Lyman Wight.
^Gregory L. Hawley and William G. Hartley, "Before the Arabia Sank: Mormon Passengers up the Missouri in 1856", Nauvoo Journal, Fall 1998, p. 130, note 48.
Referencesedit
C. R. Marks, “History of Monona County,” Annals of Iowa, vol. 7, no. 5, (3d series), Apr. 1906, 321–346
Steven L. Shields (1990, 4th ed.). Divergent Paths of the Restoration (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) pp. 51–53
External linksedit
Charles Blancher Thompson : short biography focusing on Thompson's time in Monona County, Iowa
Charles Blancher Thompson : family biography
October 28, 2023
charles, thompson, other, persons, with, same, name, charles, thompson, disambiguation, charles, blancher, thompson, january, 1814, february, 1895, american, leader, schismatic, sect, latter, saint, movement, from, 1848, 1858, claimed, title, baneemy, follower. For other persons with the same name see Charles Thompson disambiguation Charles Blancher Thompson January 27 1814 February 27 1895 was an American leader of a schismatic sect in the Latter Day Saint movement from 1848 to 1858 He claimed the title Baneemy and his followers were known as Baneemyites Charles B ThompsonFounder of the Congregation of Jehovah s Presbytery of Zion1848 1858Personal detailsBornCharles Blancher Thompson 1814 01 27 January 27 1814Niskayuna New York United StatesDiedFebruary 27 1895 1895 02 27 aged 81 Philadelphia Pennsylvania United StatesResting placeGreenmount Cemetery40 01 00 N 75 07 20 W 40 0168 N 75 1223 W 40 0168 75 1223 Greenmount Cemetery Spouse s Elizabeth JencksCatherine Ann HouckThompson was born in Niskayuna New York to a Quaker family Thompson converted to Mormonism in 1835 He became an elder in the church and was faithful to the church leadership until the death of founder Joseph Smith Jr In 1841 Thompson published Evidence in Proof of the Book of Mormon in Batavia New York Among the several aspirants to be Smith s successor Thompson initially accepted James J Strang as the rightful leader of the Latter Day Saints However in January 1848 Thompson broke with Strang after Thompson reported to having received a revelation from God while he was living in St Louis Missouri Thompson began to claim that he was the reincarnation of the biblical Ephraim and that he was to be known as Baneemy patriarch of Zion Thompson claimed that a revelation received by Joseph Smith on June 22 1834 referred to him And I will soften the hearts of the people as I did the heart of Pharaoh from time to time until my servant Baurak Ale and Baneemy whom I have appointed shall have time to gather up the strength of my house 1 Thompson self published a tract entitled The Voice of Him That Crieth in the Wilderness Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord and gathered fifty to sixty followers around him whom he instructed in his School of Preparation Thompson named his church the Congregation of Jehovah s Presbytery of Zion and his followers were often called Baneemyites because of Thompson s claim to the title The group was also referred to as the Conjespresites In September 1853 Thompson moved his followers to Monona County Iowa north of Council Bluffs where they established a communitarian commune called Preparation Thompson enforced strict rules of behavior among his followers and published a variety of periodicals while in St Louis and in Iowa including Zion s Harbinger and Baneemy s Organ Preparation News and Ephraim s Messenger In 1858 Thompson published a 208 page tract entitled Law and Covenants of Israel Written to Ephraim from Jehovah the Mighty God of Jacob Ephraim and Baneemy s Proclamation In October 1858 Thompson s followers ran him out of town 2 The property owned by the commune was the subject of a lengthy court battle which was not resolved by the Iowa Supreme Court until 1867 Thompson ultimately moved to Philadelphia Pennsylvania where in 1892 a city directory listed him as Reverend Charles B Thompson He died in Philadelphia in 1895 The 344 acre 1 39 km2 Preparation Canyon State Park in Iowa now occupies the space where Thompson s commune of Preparation once was Notes edit Doctrine and Covenants 102 8b Community of Christ ed In the LDS Church edition of the Doctrine and Covenants the passage is found in 105 27 however the modern LDS version has replaced the code names Barauk Ale with Joseph Smith Jun and Baneemy with mine elders in harmony with early manuscript sources It is thought that Baneemy may have originally had reference to Lyman Wight Gregory L Hawley and William G Hartley Before the Arabia Sank Mormon Passengers up the Missouri in 1856 Nauvoo Journal Fall 1998 p 130 note 48 References editC R Marks History of Monona County Annals of Iowa vol 7 no 5 3d series Apr 1906 321 346 B H Roberts 1930 Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints Century I Salt Lake City Utah Deseret Book 2 437 438 Steven L Shields 1990 4th ed Divergent Paths of the Restoration Independence Mo Herald House pp 51 53External links editCharles Blancher Thompson short biography focusing on Thompson s time in Monona County Iowa Charles Blancher Thompson family biography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charles B Thompson amp oldid 1024555383, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
