the Book of Mormon (called the Record of the Nephites in the Assured Way church); Rejection of a First Presidency, high priests and the office of patriarch; Belief in a Quorum of Twelve Apostles as the highest earthly church authority, with all members being equal; Rejection of the Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price; Belief in the construction of a temple on the Temple Lot in Independence, Missouri at some future time; Rejection of baptism for the Dead, polygamy and eternal marriage; Belief that while Joseph Smith, Jr. was indeed a true prophet of God, he made errors in judgment and teaching, and thus not everything he said or did is to be accepted as true doctrine or practice; Belief that revelation is not confined to holders of the priesthood, but may be given to any member of the church, male or female. However, only males may hold the priesthood. Belief that clergy and members should abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco and illegal drugs (there is no prohibition of coffee and tea). In common with other Fettingite churches, the Assured Way church believes in the revelations allegedly given to Otto Fetting and William Draves, also believing that when John the Baptist laid hands upon Fetting, he conferred what is referred to as "a greater authority" that had not previously been given, to "set in order" the scattered Latter Day Saint movement. This does not mean that the Assured Way church believes that the priesthood had been taken from the earth after Joseph Smith's time, but rather that the "messenger" (whom Fetting and Draves identified with John the Baptist) had come to bring order to the scattered Restoration Movement and give Fetting a special power and authority that Latter Day Saint leaders prior to him had lacked. The Church of Christ (Assured Way) believes that this authority continues within their organization today, which they regard as the sole legitimate church on earth. Unlike some other Hedrickite churches (such as the Temple Lot church), the Assured Way church denies the idea of three beings in the Godhead, insisting that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are all one person. See also Factional breakdown: Followers of Granville Hedrick References Bibliography Jason R. Smith, “Scattering of the Hedrickites,” in Scattering of the Saints: Schism within Mormonism, ed. Newell G. Bringhurst and John C. Hamer (Independence, Missouri: John Whitmer Books, 2007), 224–246. Steven