--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Woolley, Hubert E. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 9 number: 12 published: 1906-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Hubert E. Woolley, "The “Cadmanites”," *Improvement Era* 9, no. 12 (October 1906): 924–929.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0912unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera0912unse start_page: 924 end_page: 929 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1906-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0912unse publication_year: 1906 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1906, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The “Cadmanites” Cadmanites' as his subject. I think the subject is interesting, faith-promoting, and instructive. The withering of this branch, which was cut off from the true vine, affords a most striking illustration of the fact that the Church organization draws strength and power from the authority. Spirit and favor of the Lord, rather than from the native ability of men. The ability which Sidney Rigdon displayed when he was loyal to Joseph Smith, and his manifest weakness when separated from him, must ever stand a striking witness of the Prophet's divine calling." Editors.] "The rights of the Priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness. "That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control, or dominion, or compulsion, upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn. Amen to the Priesthood, or the authority of that man."— Doc. and Gov., 121: 36, 37. With the excommunication of Sidney Rigdon, September, 1844, after his vain attempt to establish himself as guardian of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, begins a chapter of history that will no doubt prove to beinteresting to the readers THE "CADMANITESr 925 of the Era, in spite of its pathos —pathetic because it reveals to us that there are still some individuals who might have accepted the gospel had it been presented to them in fulness and truth, but who have been blinded and led away into by-paths by evil and designing men, and became enemies of God. Sidney Rigdon returned to Pittsburg, organized a church of his own, with himself as president, and twelve other men as apostles, etc., and began proselyting under most auspicious circumstances. He was supported not only by his own native ability and eloquence, but by his excellent training in church organization and doctrine, which he had obtained from several years of intimate association with Joseph Smith, from almost the inception of the Prophet's ministry. Moreover, he was wise in the selection of a field of operation, choosing a section where he was well known among several thousand people who had already accepted the gospel, but who were unable to follow their leaders and brethren in their exodus westward, and were consequently left alone, as it were, and at the mercy of cunning men ' and "every adverse wind of doctrine. ' The Rigdon organization never became strong either in numbers or powerful men, however, and soon "crumbled into decay." Rigdon, himself, lost his influence over his followers, many years before his death, which occurred in Allegheny county, state of New York, in the year 1876. After the disintegration of the church, a portion of the people was brought under the influence of and held loosely together by one William Bickerton, a former "presiding elder" of the Rigdon followers at West Elizabeth, Allegheny county. Pa. Not being thoroughly satisfied, 'however, with the claims of Rigdon concerning his right to organize a church, and feeling, as he often said, that his "claims were insecure, moth-eaten," Mr. Bickerton began an investigation of the claims of the Church that went west, with the result that he became convinced that the Priesthood had gone there, too, and sent to Council Bluffs, Iowa, about the year 1850, for two elders who went to West Elizabeth and baptized him and his followers, and ordained William Bickerton to the office of an elder, only. For a time after his baptism. Elder Bickerton was extremely successful as an expounder of the scriptures, and succeeded in convincing many souls of the restoration of the gospel and the divinity of the Book of Mormon and the mission of Joseph 926 IMPROVEMENT ERA. Smith. But upon the publication and public advocacy of the doctrine of plurality of wives, in 1852, he refused to become reconciled to the principle, and withdrew from the Church, persuading the major portion of the people who had accepted the gospel in his neighborhood to go with him. For several years thereafter, the various branches Church that had broken away con- of the tinued to meet in their accustomed places under their former local elders, where they kept up their preaching, though gradually drifting farther and farther away from the truth. On July 7, 1862, some of the more prominent men among them succeeded in getting the people together in a general conference, and on the strength of an alleged revelation, received by William Bickerton, in which he claimed to be called of the Lord to act as prophet for the people, they organized a church with William Bickerton as president, and ordained a number of men to be "apostles." The first movement worthy of mention after the organization was effected, was an attempt made, in 1868, to carry the Book of Mormon to the Lamanites of Kansas. The movement was unsuccessful, the party, which was headed by Mr. Bickerton himself, having returned to Pennsylvania, after an absence of three months. Later, in 1874, Mr. Bickerton claimed to have received another revelation, directing him and his people to go to Barton county, Kansas, and "in the Great Bend of the Arkansas river, establish a gathering place for the people." Mr. Bickerton was successful in getting only a few to follow him westward. Those who refused to go were excommunicated from the church. A controversy arose over this action, led by Apostle William H. Cadman, with the result that Bickerton lost his position in the church and was in turn excommunicated by the eastern faction. The leadership fell to Mr. Cadman, who was appointed president in 1880. But owing to the many schisms which arose (among them being the revolt of Mr. Bickerton' s former second counselor, George Barnes, and a considerable number of people, who, after several years of wandering alone, succeeded, about twenty years ago, in finding their way into the true Church, where they now comprise what is known as the "New England Branch of the West Pennsylvania conference,") and a feeling of indifference and lethargy which seems to have come over the people, the church or- THE "CADMANlTESr 927 * ganization became pretty well broken up, the 'apostles' quorum" was lost sight of, and many of the branches were scattered and neglected. This condition continued and grew wcrse until the year 1904, when a final attempt to re-organize was made, at a conference held July 6, of that year, the organization being slightly different from thoso preceding it. In the Bickerton organization, the leading officials consisted of a president with two counselors, and only eleven apostles mentioned; in 1904, no president or counselors were named, but the apostles' quorum contained twelve men. Mr. Cadman was chief apostle in the new organization, but for years previous to his death was incapacitated for work, owing to a partial mental disability. He died at his home. West Elizabeth, Pa., November 6, 1905, having survived Mr. Bickerton about two years. The church is still struggling to exist under the leadership of Apostle Sandy Cherry, of Roscoe, Pa. A degree of enterprise has been shown the past year in the publication of a four-page monthly paper called the Gospel Reflector, edited by Mr. Cherrv. In numbers the people are few. During Sidney Rigdon's most prosperous days, his church grew to contain several hundred members; Mr. Bickerton presided over considerably fewer; today they do not number, all told, and at a liberal estimate, more than one hundred souls. This estimate includes a half dozen families who have recently m^ved to St. Johns, Kansas, where the whole body of the church, hope to go in the near future, to "better their temporal affairs." Such are the main historical facts concerning a small organization of people, locally known as "Cadmanites," located in several of the industrial towns of western Pennsylvania, as gleaned from conversations — practically the only available source of information on the subject, there being no histories or records kept by the — church had by the writer, while laboring as a traveling elder in the Monongahela River district, during the winter of 1905-6, with many of the members of the church in question, as well as with who have been gathered into the several of the older brethren ' 'Utah" Church from the Cadman ranks. In doctrine,there has been a marked degeneracy from the beginning. And although they still claim to be the church of the Res- 928 IMPROVEMENT ERA. toration, from their belief and teachings one would scarcely recognize any of the great features that are to characterize the Church of Christ in the dispensation of the fulness of times. There has been a constant ignorance, or lack of appreciation, of the order of succession of power, or authority, shown, beginning with Rigdon's insubordination, and repeating itself in Mr. Bickerton's usurpation of power, or influence, over the people under his charge. So that little surprise is occasioned by the sudden expulsion of Bickerton from his own organization, and the election of Mr. Cadman to leadership. As a people, the "Cadmanites" profess an acceptance of the Book of Mormon, or "Nephite Record" as they please to term the book— in order apparently to escape the stigma that attaches to the word "Mormon." — though they are doing nothing toward getting the record before the nations of the world. When asked why they were not putting forth some effort to that effect, Mr. Cherry was frank enough to state that ' 'they are still waiting for the Lord to command them to. " When Mr. Bickerton organized for himself, in 1862, he and his followers accepted only part of the Doctrine and Covenants; the Cadmanites today reject the entire book. There has also been during the administration Cadman a return to the old cry of "Fallen of Mr. Prophet" against Joseph Smith, much to the chagrin of some of the older followers of Mr. Bickerton, who were taught by that man to revere the memory of the Prophet. It is not surprising, theref ore,to learn that this people have no conception whatever of the so-called '"higher principles" of the gospel as given to the world by the modern Seer, Joseph Smith, such as the doctrine of pre-existence of spirits, celestial (i. e. eternal) marriage, the mission of Elijah, or even a well defined idea of the mission of the restored gospel, in not only saving individual souls, but also in preparing a people and a temple to whom the Master can ' 'come suddenly." In conclusion,we offer only one observation. History has vindicated, and is continually vindicating, the wisdom contained in the solemn words of prophecy and revelation presented at the beginning And the brief history just narrated is but another of this article. example added to the list that goes to demonstrate the futility of men, however clever they may be, or however intimate their knowl- — " ' THE "CADMANITES." 929 edge of the law and order of the gospel, endeavoring successfully to imitate the work of the Almighty and pattern a church after that founded on divine laws revealed through the Lord's prophets. Safely may the Apostle and Prophet Brigham Young exclaim: ' 'All that want to draw away a party from the Church after them, let them do it if they can, but they will not prosper. Kanab, Utah. A