Francis Henry Edwards (4 August 1897 – 1 December 1991) was a British leader in the

Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Community of Christ, known legally and from 1872 to 2001 as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS), is an American-based international church, and is the second-largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement ...

(RLDS Church). Edwards was an

apostle An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary. The word is derived from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", itself derived from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to se ...

and a member of the church's Council of Twelve Apostles from 1922 to 1946 and was a member of the

First Presidency Among many churches in the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency (also known as the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church) is the highest presiding or governing body. Present-day denominations of the movement led by a First Presidency ...

from 1946 to 1966.

Early life and imprisonment

Edwards was born to a

Latter Day Saint The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded b ...

family in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

.Paul M. Edwards (1995). ''F. Henry Edwards: Articulator of the Church'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) . During the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

Edwards, as a

conscientious objector A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of conscience or religion. The term has also been extended to objecting to working for the military–indu ...

, refused to serve in the

British military The British Armed Forces are the unified military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests, support international peacekeeping e ...

when

conscripted Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it contin ...

. Having been denied recognition by his local Military Service Tribunal, he was arrested, brought before a

magistrates' court A magistrates' court is a lower court where, in several Jurisdiction (area), jurisdictions, all criminal proceedings start. Also some civil matters may be dealt with here, such as family proceedings. Courts * Magistrates' court (England and Wales) ...

and handed over to the army. At a

court-martial A court-martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the arme ...

Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Engl ...

on 21 December 1916 he was sentenced to 112 days imprisonment with hard labour, which he served in

Wormwood Scrubs Wormwood Scrubs, known locally as The Scrubs (or simply Scrubs), is an open space in Old Oak Common located in the north-eastern corner of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London. It is the largest open space in the borough ...

. On 30 January 1917 he was interviewed by the Central Tribunal, sitting in the prison, who found him to be a "genuine" conscientious objector, after all, and offered him admission to the Home Office Scheme, whereby conscientious objector prisoners could be released on condition of performing civilian work under civilian control. Edwards was transferred to Princetown Work Centre, set up in the erstwhile

Dartmoor Prison HM Prison Dartmoor is a Prison security categories in the United Kingdom, Category C men's prison, located in Princetown, England, Princetown, high on Dartmoor in the English county of Devon. Its high granite walls dominate this area of the mo ...

, where he remained until the Scheme was wound up in April 1919.

RLDS Church leadership

Edwards immigrated to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

to join the main gathering of RLDS Church members in

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

and became a full-time

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...

in 1920. On 13 October 1922, RLDS Church president Frederick M. Smith selected Edwards as an

of the church. Upon joining the Council of Twelve Apostles, he was selected as the organization's secretary. Frederick Smith died in 1946 and his brother Israel A. Smith was selected to succeed him. Israel Smith chose John F. Garver and Edwards as his counselors in the

. When Smith died in 1958 and was succeeded by his younger brother

W. Wallace Smith William Wallace Smith ( – ) was a grandson of Joseph Smith, Joseph Smith Jr. and Prophet-President of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Community of Christ), from October 6, 1958, to April 5, 1978, when he retire ...

, Edwards was retained as a member of the First Presidency.Doctrine and Covenants 145:2
On 18 April 1966, Edwards was honorably released from membership in the First Presidency and replaced by Duane E. Couey.Doctrine and Covenants 148:1–2
At this time, Edwards was officially encouraged to "pursu his talents of writing and teaching".

Author and editor

In 1938, Edwards published the first edition of his ''Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants'', a resource that was updated and republished throughout Edwards's life and is still used today in the

Community of Christ Community of Christ, known legally and from 1872 to 2001 as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS), is an American-based international church, and is the second-largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement ...

in studies of the church's

Doctrine and Covenants The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C or D. and C.) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. Originally published in 1835 as Doctrine and Covenants of the Chur ...

. From 1967 to 1976, Edwards updated the ''History of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints'' to include material from 1896 to 1976, which comprises volumes 5 through 8 of the work.

Family and personal life

On 27 June 1924, Edwards married Alice Smith, a daughter of RLDS Church president Frederick M. Smith. In 1938, Edwards became a citizen of the United States. Edwards attended

Graceland University Graceland University is a private university with campuses in Lamoni, Iowa, and Independence, Missouri. The university offers degree completion and master's degree programs. It also offers undergraduate and graduate programs online. The univers ...

, the

University of Kansas The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States. Two branch campuses are in the Kansas City metropolitan area on the Kansas side: the university's medical school and hospital ...

and the

University of Missouri–Kansas City The University of Missouri–Kansas City (UMKC or Kansas City) is a Public university, public research university in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. UMKC is part of the University of Missouri System and has a UMKC School of Medicine, medic ...

. Today at Graceland University, there is a F. Henry Edwards Chair of Religious Studies.

Publications

*F. Henry Edwards (1932). ''A Study of the Doctrine and Covenants'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) *—— (1933). ''Life and Ministry of Jesus'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) *—— (1936). ''Fundamentals: Enduring Convictions of the Restoration'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) econd Edition published in 1948*—— (1938). ''A Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants: A Brief Historical Treatment of Each Section, Stating the Conditions under which It Was Given, Its Import for the Time It Was Given, and Its Application to the Problems and Needs of the Church Today'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) eprinted and revised in 1986 as *—— (1940). ''Missionary Sermon Studies'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) *—— (1943). ''God Our Help'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) *—— (1950). ''Studies in the Life and Ministry of Jesus'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) * Elbert A. Smith, F. Henry Edwards, and Herbert M. Scott (eds., 1951). ''Compendium of the Scriptures Including Texts of the Standard Books of the Church'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) *F. Henry Edwards (1951). ''Overviews of Church History'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) *—— (1953). ''Challenges of the Restoration'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) *—— (1956). ''Authority and Spiritual Power'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) *—— (1959). ''The Whole Wide World'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) *—— (1962). ''All Thy Mercies'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) *—— (1963). ''For Such a Time'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) *—— (1965). ''The Divine Purpose in Us'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) *—— (1975). ''The Joy in Creation and Judgment'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House) *—— (1987). ''The Power that Worketh in Us'' (Independence, Mo.: Herald House)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, F. Henry 1897 births 1991 deaths Apostles of the Community of Christ British conscientious objectors Latter Day Saint missionaries in the United States Community of Christ missionaries English Latter Day Saint missionaries English emigrants to the United States English Latter Day Saints English Christian religious leaders Graceland University alumni Members of the First Presidency (Community of Christ) People from Birmingham, West Midlands University of Kansas alumni University of Missouri–Kansas City alumni Prisoners and detainees of the British military English prisoners and detainees Doctrine and Covenants people English members of the Community of Christ