He was a member of Quorum of Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite).

[1] Before following the Strangite sect, he was a member of the Quorum of the Seventy for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

[3] In 1843, Hutchins was baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and traveled to Nauvoo, Illinois.

Hutchins followed the group as far as Council Bluffs, Iowa, then resided there a number of years.

After the Church succession crisis of 1844, he moved to Beaver Island, then the center for the Strangites, to follow James Strang.