“Upon testimony satisfactory to this conference it was voted that Ezra Booth be silenced from preaching as an Elder in this Church.” — Oliver Cowdery¹

Ezra Booth was a Methodist Episcopal minister who joined the Church of Christ after witnessing Joseph Smith heal a paralytic woman.² He was called on a mission to Missouri but found it difficult and began to question the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith. Upon returning to Kirtland, he openly criticized Joseph in the Ohio Star newspaper and published a series of nine letters criticizing and denouncing the Church.³ Booth was condemned and removed from the Church.¹

1. Minute Book 2, p. 6, Sep 6, 1831, josephsmithpapers.org

2. "Ezra Booth," josephsmithpapers.org; Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 12, 129

3. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 12, 129; Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 14, 150