The King Follett Discourse: Pinnacle or Peripheral?

Authors

James E. Faulconer
Susannah Morrison

Keywords

BYU Studies, King Follett Discourse, Joseph Smith

Abstract

On March 8, 1844, fifty-five-year-old King Follett, an early convert to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, was killed in a well-digging accident. On April 7, as part of a general conference of the Church in Nauvoo, and in response to the request of Follett’s family, Joseph Smith memorialized him with a sermon about the general subject of death and the dead. Smith said his sermon, a revelation on the origins of God and the divine potential of human beings, was about “the first principles of consolation.” Though Smith mentions Follett by name only early in the sermon, referring to him again toward the end of the sermon as “your friend,” it has come to be called the “King Follett Discourse” or “King Follett Sermon.”

Recommended Citation

Faulconer, James E. and Morrison, Susannah (2021) "The King Follett Discourse: Pinnacle or Peripheral?," BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 60: Iss. 3, Article 8.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol60/iss3/8