▁had ▁often ▁" ca used ▁dis unity ." ▁ ▁Mat ters ▁came ▁to ▁a ▁head ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁when ▁Er le ▁was ▁elected ▁by ▁the ▁Independ ence ▁con greg ation ▁( which ▁held ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁C ut ler ites ) ▁to ▁succeed ▁Em ory ▁F let cher . ▁While ▁the ▁Independ ence ▁church ▁held ▁that ▁this ▁was ▁in ▁keeping ▁with ▁C ut ler ite ▁tradition — which ▁passed ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁Church ▁President ▁down ▁to ▁the ▁prede cess or ' s ▁First ▁Coun sel or — the ▁Minnesota ▁group ▁ins isted ▁that ▁C ly de ▁F let cher ▁was ▁the ▁true ▁President . ▁F let cher ▁ex communic ated ▁the ▁leaders ▁of ▁the ▁Missouri ▁con greg ation ▁for ▁ref using ▁to ▁follow ▁his ▁leadership . ▁The ▁Missouri ▁C ul ter ites ▁refused ▁to ▁accept ▁this ▁act ▁as ▁legit imate , ▁or ▁F let cher ' s ▁election ▁to ▁the ▁presiden cy ▁by ▁a ▁minor ity ▁of ▁the ▁total ▁C ut ler ite ▁membership . ▁ ▁F let cher ▁subsequently ▁ins isted ▁that ▁his ▁was ▁the ▁sole ▁true ▁continu ation ▁of ▁Al phe us ▁C ut ler ' s ▁organization , ▁and ▁began ▁sty ling ▁his ▁church ▁the ▁" True ▁Church ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ ." ▁ ▁The ▁two ▁con greg ations ▁fought ▁over ▁various ▁church ▁properties ▁in ▁or ▁around ▁Cl ither all . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁a ▁Minnesota ▁court ▁ruled ▁that ▁the ▁Missouri ▁group ▁was ▁the ▁legit imate ▁C ut ler ite ▁church , ▁and