School of the Prophets

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In Mormonism, the School of the Prophets (also called the "school of the elders" or "school for the Prophets") was a select group of early Latter Day Saint leaders who began meeting on January 23, 1833 in Kirtland, Ohio under the direction of Mormon prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. for both theological and secular learning. The first meeting of the school was held at the home-based store owned by Newel K. Whitney. The school provided a setting for spiritual experiences and in-depth discussions of gospel principles. A series of seven lectures presented at the school were published as Lectures on Faith, which for a time were considered canonical by Latter Day Saints. Another branch of this school existed under the direction of Parley P. Pratt in Independence, Missouri for a short while.

Brigham Young began several schools of the Prophets during his tenure as church president, beginning in 1868 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and spreading to Provo, Logan, Brigham City, Spanish Fork, Nephi, Ephraim, American Fork, and Ogden. His successor, John Taylor, also organized such schools in Salt Lake City and St. George in 1883.

The name has been used by others who had been in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In 1979 Robert C. Crossfield (whose revelations claim is a latter-day Elias) received instructions in Section 39 of The Second Book of Commandments to establish again the School of the Prophets independent of the church. This was accomplished in 1981. This group holds that the LDS Church will be set in order by the "One Like unto Moses" who is yet to come forth as prophesied in D&C 103:15-18.