Mormon Scripture

The Word of the Lord Brought to Mankind by an Angel  (affiliate link) is a collection of claimed angelic messages used within the Church of Christ with the Elijah Message tradition. In this movement, the messages are believed to have been delivered by John the Baptist, who is identified as a heavenly messenger sent to prepare the world for the second coming of Christ.

The movement developed out of the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) in Independence, Missouri. During the late 1920s, Otto Fetting, an apostle within the Temple Lot church, reported receiving visitations from John the Baptist. According to Fetting, the messenger delivered revelations concerning repentance, church authority, priesthood order, temple work, baptism, and preparation for Christ’s return. A major focus of the messages involved instructions to build a temple on the Temple Lot property in Independence, which many early Latter Day Saint groups viewed as the prophesied site of a future Zion temple.

Fetting’s revelations created deep divisions within the Temple Lot church. Some members accepted the messages as genuine divine revelation continuing the Restoration tradition established by Joseph Smith, while others rejected them. Those who accepted Fetting’s claims eventually separated and became associated with what is often called the Fettingite movement.

After Fetting’s death in 1933, William A. Draves claimed that he too was receiving messages from John the Baptist. This led to another division among Fetting’s followers. Some accepted only the original messages received through Fetting, while others accepted the continued revelations through Draves. The Church of Christ with the Elijah Message emerged from the branch that accepted both sets of revelations.

The Word of the Lord Brought to Mankind by an Angel contains these collected messages. The text functions as an ongoing revelation collection similar in structure to the Doctrine and Covenants used in other branches of the Latter Day Saint movement. Rather than presenting a single narrative story, the book is organized as a series of individual revelations, warnings, commandments, prophecies, and instructions delivered over time.

The contents focus heavily on preparation for the second coming of Christ. The messages repeatedly call for repentance, moral reform, prayer, fasting, rebaptism, missionary work, and strict obedience to divine commandments. Many revelations emphasize spiritual purity and warn that humanity is approaching a period of judgment and tribulation before Christ’s return.

A major portion of the text deals with church organization and priesthood authority. The messages give instructions concerning apostles, elders, evangelists, bishops, and other priesthood offices. They outline rules for ordination, church discipline, missionary responsibilities, sacramental practices, and the proper structure of the restored church. The revelations also address disputes within the movement itself, often identifying which leaders or factions were considered faithful or rebellious.

Temple work and Zion theology are also recurring themes. Many messages discuss the importance of building the temple in Independence, Missouri, which Elijah Message believers view as a divinely appointed gathering place connected to the establishment of Zion before Christ’s return. The revelations often frame the movement as part of the final preparation of God’s people in the last days.

The book also includes prophetic warnings about war, corruption, materialism, false religion, social disorder, and spiritual decline. Some messages contain apocalyptic language describing coming judgments upon nations and churches. Others focus more quietly on personal repentance, humility, baptism, and faithfulness.

Within the Elijah Message tradition, The Word of the Lord is treated as ongoing modern revelation rather than a closed canon. Additional messages continued to be added over time, reinforcing the movement’s belief that God still communicates directly through angelic messengers to guide the restored church in preparation for the return of Christ.

Used by: Church of Christ with the Elijah Message and related Elijah Message traditions.