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| Zion's Order | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Latter Day Saint |
| Polity | Hierarchical |
| Founder | Marl Kilgore |
| Origin | 1951 Bicknell, Utah |
| Separated from | Aaronic Order |
| Congregations | 1 |
| Members | 30 |
Zion's Order, Inc. is a sect in theLatter Day Saint movement that was founded byMarl Kilgore (also known as Merl Kilgore) in 1951.
Kilgore was a member ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints until 1950, when he left the church to join theAaronic Order. He moved toBicknell,Utah, where he and another member of the Aaronic Order left that church and formedZion's Order of the Sons of Levi. In 1953, the church and its followers moved toMansfield,Missouri.
The new church regarded Kilgore as a prophet, and he recorded over 650 revelations from God. In 1969, Kilgore resigned as the president of the church to focus on performing missionary work amongNative Americans in the southwestern United States. In 1975, Zion's Order of the Sons of Levi incorporated and became known simply as Zion's Order, Inc.
The church teaches that the Latter Day Saints must return to the practices of theUnited Order in preparation for theSecond Coming ofJesus. The church uses the samescriptures that are used by the LDS Church, with the exception of section 132 of theDoctrine and Covenants, which sets out the doctrines ofplural marriage andcelestial marriage.
The church is composed of one congregation of approximately 30 people and are governed by aFirst Presidency, apresiding bishop, and apresiding patriarch.
In the early 1950s,Theron Drew, a member of theChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite), identified Kilgore as the "One Mighty and Strong" that was prophesied byJoseph Smith to come forward to put the church in order. Drew's enthusiasm for Kilgore and his church were short-lived, however, and Drew went on to found theChurch of Jesus Christ (Drewite).