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 the prophet Joseph Smith for both theological and secular learning. It 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. Another branch of this school existed under the direction of Parley P. Pratt in Independence, Missouri, for a short while.