Baptismal and Ordination Certificates

These are two certificates of The Church of the First-Born. We haven't been able to determine the date of these documents or for how long they were used by Ross Wesley LeBaron and his followers.

Ross LeBaron, Fred Collier: Revelation on Salvation and Exaltation, 1974

On 7 August 1974, Ross W. LeBaron received a revelation stating the purposes of the Church of Jesus Christ and the Church of the Firstborn, and their relation to the principles of salvation and exaltation of humankind. [1] The revelation was recorded in handwriting by Fred Collier, then an adopted son of Ross LeBaron. InContinue reading "Ross LeBaron, Fred Collier: Revelation on Salvation and Exaltation, 1974"

Mormon Fundamentalism and the Sealing Keys of Hyrum Smith

Ross W. LeBaron claimed to have “the patriarchal keys of the lineage of the Prophet Joseph”. He considered his heirship to the Mormon Prophet “the highest title of birth, and the second order of priesthood,” as he stated to Joseph White Musser in 1951. Lebaron believed the Mormon Fundamentalist movement, on the other hand, operated underContinue reading "Mormon Fundamentalism and the Sealing Keys of Hyrum Smith"

DeWayne Hafen: Interview to Dale Von Atta, 1978

As a teenager, DeWayne Hafen helped Ross LeBaron in his machine shop while LeBaron taught him about the Church of the Firstborn. When Hafen met him again as an adult, LeBaron was hesitant to ordain Hafen. The reason was Hafen's previous affiliation with The Church of the Firstborn of the Fullness of the Times. EvenContinue reading "DeWayne Hafen: Interview to Dale Von Atta, 1978"

Year of Polygamy Podcast

In the latest episode of the Year of Polygamy podcast, I was interviewed by Lindsay Hansen Park about Ross LeBaron and his Church of the Firstborn.W e talked about LeBaron's views on priesthood, his relationship with the Mormon Fundamentalist movement, his brothers's church in Mexico and his son Ross LeBaron Jr. Click here to downloadContinue reading "Year of Polygamy Podcast"

Ross LeBaron: The Opening of the Seventh Seal, 1943

In 1943, Ross Wesley LeBaron published a pamphlet identifying the seven angels or plagues of the Book of Revelation as events in the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War. Later in life, LeBaron would say that he knew some things "by revelation" and other things "by calculation", also recognizing that he wasn't freeContinue reading "Ross LeBaron: The Opening of the Seventh Seal, 1943"

Sunstone 2018: Ross LeBaron and The Church of The First-Born

On July 28, I`ll be presenting a paper on Ross LeBaron at the Sunstone Summer Symposium to be held this year at the Mountain America Expo Center, in Sandy, Utah. A religious innovator within the Mormon tradition, Ross LeBaron (1914-1996) organized The Church of the First-Born in 1955. Although commonly identified by outsiders as aContinue reading "Sunstone 2018: Ross LeBaron and The Church of The First-Born"

Ross LeBaron: Letter to Margarito Bautista, 1958

"Lehi was evidently the first-born of Manasseh; for he followed the patriarchal pattern[,]" wrote Ross LeBaron about the Book of Mormon patriarch. "His youngest son held the right of the first-born (evidently of the tribe of Manasseh). Lehi was patriarch to a new world, Jacob priest, and Nephi King." A Mormon Fundamentalist, Margarito Bautista hadContinue reading "Ross LeBaron: Letter to Margarito Bautista, 1958"

Edsil Allred: Patriarchal Blessing of Ross LeBaron, 1934

This patriarchal blessing received by Ross LeBaron at age 19 is the first of two recorded blessings he obtained from LDS stake patriarchs. A mimeograph copy of the blessing printed by Ross LeBaron was given to Mormon collector James Wardle and can be seen or downloaded here. Transcript Central, Arizona   February 9, 1934 Blessing, givenContinue reading "Edsil Allred: Patriarchal Blessing of Ross LeBaron, 1934"

Ross LeBaron: Brigham Young Speaks, 1975

Published by Ross W. LeBaron in 1975, the pamphlet Brigham Young Speaks was a compilation of statements on the Adam-God doctrine, without editorial comments. It was the product of Fred Collier's research, then an adopted son of Ross LeBaron. Later, Collier republished the pamphlet under his name with the title Adam-God in a Nutshell. InContinue reading "Ross LeBaron: Brigham Young Speaks, 1975"