Alpheus Cutler was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than a decade and a half. This included service as president of the Winter Quarters Municipal High Council.
According to Richard E. Bennett, Cutler “became convinced that God had a mission for him to fulfill among the Indians in Missouri. He and a few others left the Church and proclaimed the new doctrine of ‘Lamanism’” (See Richard E. Bennett, "We’ll Find the Place").
This marker gives visitors to the site of Manti directions to the cemetery. It notes the traditional problems related to vandalism at the site. | Kenneth Mays
By 1851, Cutler had pulled away from Brigham Young’s leadership. He and 20 families later organized the Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite). They established a settlement named Manti in eastern Fremont County, Iowa, near its border with Page County. Manti recorded a population of 102 that year (see "Sacred Places, Vol. 5," edited by LaMar C. Berrett, William Hartley, Gary Anderson).
According to former Brigham Young University church history professor Susan Easton Black, Cutler denounced several foundational doctrines of the LDS Church and asserted that “the thrust of his leadership was to confer priesthood authority, for he believed that he alone was authorized to do this important work.” A document in Black’s possession notes that Cutler shared his private belief that “Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and I know that Brigham Young is his legal successor” (see Black's "Who’s Who in the Doctrine and Covenants").
Hartley and Anderson note that by 1878 the town of Manti had ceased to exist. Some of the scant evidence of its existence is seen in the accompanying images of the site where Manti once was.