The next morning our beds were covered with snow, Lucy said, and they were unable to light a fire. While living at the Morley farm near Kirtland, Emma Smith gives birth to twins, who die shortly after birth. He told her that the judgments of God would come upon her forthwith if she did not repent. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The story of how the word of wisdom came to be is commonly told by the church and fairly simple (see this video), Emma was tired of cleaning up the tobacco after the School of the Prophets met together in her house. Further, the committee agreed to find employment for those able and willing to labor. Tears roll down Emily Rennie's face as she recalls a church counsellor telling her she needed to give up her child for adoption because he was conceived out of wedlock one of the most . At Huntsville, the driver said his horses could not go on, so the Knights unhitched the wagon and camped. Eventually, however, she encountered a trial that became more than she thought she could handle. [37], Elders Young and Kimball kept in constant contact with the imprisoned First Presidency by correspondence, messenger, and visits. During the vandalism spree, a great portion of the records of the committee, accounts, history, etc. The Thomases complied. Mormons had a divorce rate of about 1 percent. [35] A Missouri map published in 1840 by L. Augustus Mitchell, on file in the National Archives Branch in College Park, Maryland, shows roads that provided two possible routes, an upper and a lower one. When morning came, he and Abraham Smoot crossed to Quincy, leaving their families with the wagon. FAQs - Joseph Smith Jr and Emma Hale Smith Historical Society Delewski also explored the effect the practice of plural marriage had on Emma and Joseph Smith's relationship. This most likely caused people to behave differently than they might have in gentler circumstances. They asked a committee of Latter-day Saints to provide them facts about the needy. Later, when Brigham Young was the prophet, the practice would be refined so that the first wife had to approve each subsequent wife, but as we also see in the Bible, refinements of new practices often come over time as prophets continue to pray for guidance. [50], The Young and Kimball families. Joseph Smith Family and the Year without a summer - Mormon History The refinement, the charity of our age, will not brook it. Exmormons are told to leave quietly with their tails between their legs. . Emma Smith - Wikipedia [34] Saints used existing roads as much as possible, although some took detours to avoid problems with local residents or to avoid being recognized. . When her stepparents determined they could no longer care for her, the 8-year-old orphan found her way back to Emma. Brigham, after all, saw Emma as fighting against the man Brigham revered as the Prophet, and he knew that Emma knew that Joseph taught plural marriage. After Brigham Young assumed a leadership role, he and his supporters considered Joseph Smith's physical property as property of the church. So without further ado, here is my list of 21 reasons leaving the Mormon Church might be a great idea, even if it is true. Aroet Hale said a Mr. Stilson employed his father. Why Did Emma Smith Remain in Nauvoo after the Death of Joseph Smith? (Emma's schism church.) Thank you for your insight about and compassion for Emma, and for taking the time to write about and share it with us. They took what scanty provisions we could muster. They walked and slept under the sky. . The exodus from Missouri generated a rich store of documents and records. a boy whom many Saints felt to be Smiths rightful prophetic heir, The biography Linda and Valeen published with Doubleday several years later. John was one of dozens of Mormon militiamen who fled from Missouri in November. As was common in their day, the early Saints sang the printed lyrics to familiar tunes. The animosity toward Emma Smith after the death of Joseph Smith quickly became evident. [101] Cited in Baugh, We Took Our Change of Venue, 52. Emmas disappearance from LDS history was so total that Linda says when she and Valeen co-authored an article about her for the Ensign in 1979, it was the first writing about her to appear in any official church publication in 113 years. [51] Ronald K. Esplin, The Emergence of Brigham Young and the Twelve in Mormon Leadership, 18301841 (PhD diss., Brigham Young University, 1981), 370; Times and Seasons, September 1840, 165. Albert Rockwood and his family left Far West with another family on January 10. Mormon Church Admits Founder Joseph Smith Had Up To 40 Wives : The Two-Way The Church of Latter-day Saints never denied polygamy was part of its history. [36] Brigham H. Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Century I (reprint, Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press, 1965), 1:510511, and Smith, History of the Church, 3:26163. Some of Emma's friends, as well as many members of the Smith family, alienated themselves from Young's followers. When asked if he had read the biography, Elder Oaks said he had seen several excerpts from it, and found that the authors views of Joseph Smith were nontraditional.. [56], The Hammer family. [2] Leland H. Gentry, A History of the Latter-day Saints in Northern Missouri, from 1836 to 1839 (PhD diss., Brigham Young University, 1965), 27385; Stephen C. LeSueur, The 1838 Mormon War in Missouri (Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 1987), 15053. Thank you so much. These souls, by and large, were poor, bedraggled, and sickly. Why didnt Emma Smith go west with the Saints? [73] Bennett, Quincythe Home of Our Adoption, 86. Are Joseph and Emma Smiths descendants Latter-day Saints? She wrote to him that only God knew how hard it was for her to flee her home with her children, abandoning all her possessions and leaving her husband to endure whatever was to come. [19] John P. Greene, Facts Relative to the Expulsion of the Mormons or Latter-day Saints from the State of Missouri, Under the Exterminating Order (Cincinnati: R. P. Brooks, 1839), 8. in getting one single wagon to convey beds, clothing, and provisions for our family, and luggage. He rode with the Mormon militia who fought in the Battle of Crooked River. Though there probably was an argument, the poisoning accusation was unfounded. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Modern Mormons are beginning to come to terms with Emma as the elect lady God declared her to be in a revelation, but a very real and human one at the same time who fought for God as long as she had to before choosing the calmer life she longed for. The first night, our wagon tipped over into the creek. At the time of her birth, her parents had a good relationship with a prominent local family, which may have affected her name selection. The Saints exodus from Nauvoo took place a year and a half later, leaving Emma, a 41-year-old widow, with her aged mother-in-law, Lucy Mack Smith, and five children, ranging in age from fourteen years to fifteen months old, to care for. She was often anxious and sad, but she coped. This weekend at the Midwest Pilgrims retreat in Nauvoo, Illinois, I had the opportunity to listen to a fascinating talk by Linda King Newell, co-biographer of Emma Smith, first wife of LDS founding prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. She was left alone with her five children, including her adopted daughter and four sons. [20] The Life of Joseph Holbrook, 18061871, typescript, 46, Perry Special Collections. Church leaders told fugitive Charles C. Rich to flee north into the wilderness and take all that I Could find of the Brethren that was in the Crooked river Battle. So he and others left Far West at midnight on November 1. Its an improvement that shes discussed at all. What Is the CES Letter? - Saints Unscripted Tied to her waist were heavy bags containing Josephs papers. Throughout the years, she has remained a complex topic for both Mormons and non-Mormons. So she made a deal with Abraham O. Smoot and Martha, his bride of three months. Joseph Smith presided. In order to understand this, we need to look at her personality and what she experienced prior to the death of Joseph.". . Their numbers exceed 5,000 peoplewithout any means and literally beggarsto be thrust upon the charities of Illinois, Iowa, or Wisconsin. Joseph Holbrook, thirty-two, said his wife Nancy had verry poor health that fall and winter because of being exposed to inclement weather by having to remove from place to place as our house had been burned and we were yet left to seek a home whenever our friends could accommodate us and for my safety. Saints in flourishing condition but a few months before, he said, were now destitute. A Comfort unto My Servant, Joseph. Women of faith in the latter days. [7] William G. Hartley, My Best for the Kingdom: The History and Autobiography of John Lowe Butler, a Mormon Frontiersman (Salt Lake City: Aspen Books, 1993), 8184; Baugh, A Call to Arms, 39296. There are several reasons Emma stayed in Nauvoo after Joseph Smith's death, but a few in particular stand out. Why did Emma Smith leave the LDS Church? All Rights Reserved. [20] 3. On May 10, Joseph Smith and his family moved into a small, two-story log house at Commerce, fifty miles north of Quincy, hoping that I and my friends may here find a resting place for a little season at least.[110] Church headquarters moved there, as did large numbers of the exiled Saints. All but the youngest two had to walk every step of the entire distance. They were almost barefooted and some had to wrap their feet in clothes in order to keep them from freezing and protect them from the sharp points of the frozen ground. Son John, nine, later said that often the blood from our feet marked the frozen earth.[57]. Many nights the floors, upstairs and down, were covered with beds so closely it was impossible to set a foot anywhere without stepping on someone elses bed.[75], Emma Smith and the children arrived on February 15. [55] Martha and the children reached the Quincy side and waited, sitting at night on their bed, wrapped in bed clothes and shivering in the cold wind until Daniel arrived. Alpheus Cutler placed it in position. [88] Richard E. Bennett, Quincythe Home of Our Adoption, 101. By primitive Missouri roads, the distance from Far West to Quincy was about 180 miles. However, President Young advised the Saints to gather in order to help each other better. [77] Kenney, Wilford Woodruffs Journal, 1:32930. Joseph Smith documented liar - LDS Facts "Of these 13 locations, only four of them could be called her own," Delewski said. In addition to grieving the loss of her husband, she was expecting their final child. They kept insisting on constitutional protection . Why is Emma Smith honored by the Church and its members? - Ask Gramps [76] Smith, History of the Church, 3:262. The Missouri Arguss editor argued incorrectly on December 20, 1838, that they cannot be driven beyond the limits of the statethat is certain. She is remembered for her unrelenting strength and ability to overcome hardships. But in a series of new essays, it describes the now-banned practice in detail. I found my family in good health though in the mud and snow half a leg deep in the camp. It turned out that such calls had gone out to bishops and stake presidents in several states. 1 Why did Emma Smith leave the LDS Church? Scores of Church members were living there, including Mary Jane York, William Hickman, John P. Greene, and Wandle Mace. Brigham interpreted Emma's refusal to answer as an admission of guilt.. She compiled the first hymnbook. Joseph Smith did not have a Will but like today when the husband dies the surviving spouse is still entitled to a certain part of her husband's assets as defined by law, even without a will; but Emma would still have to go through court probate to obtain these assets. There are several reasons Emma stayed in Nauvoo after Joseph Smith's death, but a few in particular stand out. Some church members inappropriately rejected her because of her rejection of polygamy and her outspokenness on the subject. She comforted other women, instructed them, and helped them to build their own faith. Julia: Some say that there were other reasons. Joseph and Emma adopt the Murdock twins nine days after birth. [84] Aroet Hale, Autobiography, typescript, 6, Perry Special Collections. [23] Heber Quincy Hale, Bishop Jonathan H. Hale of Nauvoo: His Life and Ministry (Salt Lake City: the author, 1938), 64. "On three of these moves she had to leave behind most or all of her furniture. If that were the only document people used to learn about Joseph Smith and his life, they would naturally assume that he was married once, to Emma, and not to approximately three dozen other women. Levi Ward Hancock continued as a President of the Seventy, marched to California in the Mormon Battalion, was a pioneer in Manti and southern Utah, and served as a patriarch. Caroline went ahead and brought back some elders from a camp ahead to give Martha and Keziah blessings. He covered Joseph Smith's reluctance for years to keep this commandment of the Lord and how it was also very difficult for Emma Smith. However, I discovered there was a different attitude about Emma. Why did Ema Smith leave the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Uncertain which policy to push, the conference voted against accepting the land offer (Journal History, February 1, 1839). Quincy was the closest Illinois city to Far West. Joseph Smith Foundation director, author, film producer, speaker. Some of them are still included in the current hymnbook that was published 150 years later in 1985. A stone weighing about a ton was rolled to the southeast corner of the site. [76] They moved in with Judge John Cleveland and his Latter-day Saint wife, Sarah, four miles east of Quincy. To fulfill their instruction, some members of the Twelve left Quincy on April 18, 1839, to travel secretly to Far West. It is possible that polygamy would have come more easily if it had not been added to an already extraordinary number of other trials and if she had not been the first wife to face it in the Church. Triggered by Missouri governor Lilburn Boggss October 1838 extermination order against them, some ten thousand Saints engaged in a mass exodus, many going to Quincy, Illinois. It would be 2 months before she could be confirmed as a member of the Church. The response, signed by Elias Higbee and John P. Greene, stated that if we should say what our present wants are, it would be beyond all calculation; as we have been robbed of our corn, wheat, horses, cattle, cows, hogs, wearing apparel, houses and homes. Twenty widows were entirely destitute. [92] Smith, History of the Church, 3:32223. During this last bout, Joseph said gratefully, "My wife waited on me. Isaac Laney said the committee had moved all but thirty or forty families when armed men from Daviess County ordered him and others to be out of the County by the next Friday night which was giving us Six dayes for to do that that Requird a month. So the committee urgently hired teams and sent families to Tenneys Grove, twenty miles away, with a minimum of personal belongings. Mormon regard for Quincy. The additions were Elias Smith, Erastus Bingham, Stephen Markham, and James Newberry (History of the Church, 3:24954, includes 214 names of those who pledged). Her family had a fair amount of money. [125] Photocopy of order, filed June 25, 1976, copy in authors file; also see transcript in LDS Church News, July 3, 1976, 4. She also learned how to cook and be a good host when her parents ran a boarding house. Print. Other scribes would do the majority of the translation, but she filled in as needed. One day while Martha was sitting in the front of the wagon with three-year-old Keziah Butler on her lap, one of the horses began to kick. Because Joseph Smith was in prison during the exodus, attention focuses here on Joseph Smiths parents, his wife Emma, Elders Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, and four selected families: the John and Caroline Butler family, the Newel and Lydia Knight family, the Daniel and Martha Thomas family, and the Levi and Clarissa Hancock family. . Seeing the injuries, she rushed back to her house and brought back camphor, brown paper, and a pan of warm water. About Terrie Lynn Bittner The late Terrie Lynn Bittnerbeloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friendwas the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. H. Redmond, History of Quincy and Its Men of Mark (Quincy, IL: Heirs and Russell, 1863), 15; Richard E. Bennett, Quincythe Home of Our Adoption: A Study of the Mormons in Quincy, Illinois, 18381839, 8788, and Susan Easton Black, QuincyA City of Refuge, 69, in A City of Refuge. They pulled out of Far West on February 18, leaving behind a house and farm. When a group of black Mormons arrived after a very difficult and painful journey fraught with danger and racial prejudice, their feet bleeding because they no longer had shoes, she sat them at her own dinner table and took them all into her home as guests until they could find work. They passed Saints heading east, including Elder John E. Page, who turned around and joined them. Survey explains reasons why Mormons leave fold Either Brigham Young was not aware of Babbitt's propensity for alienating those around him or, like Joseph before him, he overlooked his faults because he needed his legal knowledge. At the time, perhaps ten thousand Mormons were concentrated in two particular counties. Mormon women have the specific responsibility to be righteous daughters of God; good, faithful wives; and loving mothers. [73], Church members living in Quincy and nearby tried to help the refugees when they crossed the river. . At other times, she found she could not handle the choices she had made, much as Sarah in the Old Testament first encouraged her husband to marry her handmaiden and then discovered it was more than she was prepared to handle. All the same, she continued to have a testimony of his role as a prophet and she carried out her duties faithfully. Finally, Brigham was Joseph's successor, and Emma challenged that succession by supporting her son, Joseph Smith III, as the 'proper' leader, and as one who would not teach the hated doctrine of polygamy (which Emma falsely claimed Brigham had foisted on the Church). Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. My God is it you Bro. When eternal marriage was first introduced, many families carried out sealings with friends and those they wanted to be eternally associated with, not entirely understanding what the revelation meant. She held on to her faith in God, in the gospel, and in Joseph Smith as a prophet throughout it all. [3], By October 1838, Newel and Lydia Knight and their three children were among the Saints living in and near Far West, the Churchs headquarters city. Brigham also doubtless considered Emma dishonest and a liar because she continued to insist that her husband had never taught the doctrine of plural marriage. Health problems and deaths. In mid-February, Anson Call headed east. Initially, when Joseph admitted to her that he had received a revelation about polygamy and was told he absolutely must carry it out, she accepted it. The religion he founded continues to the present day, with millions of global adherents. Before long, typhoid fever came into West Lebanon and "raged tremendously.". She would smile with her lips, but to me, as small as I was, I never saw the brown eyes smile. "There's an image for you: a dark-haired 23-year-old woman racing down a country road, her hair probably flying in the wind, in order to notify her husband of an impending emergency," Delewski said. [62] After a night of rain, which changed to snow and covered the ground in the morning, she said, we thawed our tent which was stiffly frozen, by holding and turning it alternately before a blazing fire, until it could be folded for packing, and, while we all shivered and shook with cold, we started. Sun melted the snow, increasing the depth of the mud and rendering travel almost impossible. [16] Baugh, A Call to Arms, 395; Reed Peck Manuscript, 29. View our community standards here. On this same day, there was a skirmish between the mob and the Saints west of Big Blue River. [12] John Butlers escape route apparently was across northern Missouri. They reached the bank of the Mississippi in eight days and found the river frozen over. May 1831 New York branches arrive in Ohio. Required fields are marked *. However, the hymns Emma selected were particularly special. Sarah later became Emmas first counselor in the Nauvoo Relief Society. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. by Terrie Lynn Bittner | May 3, 2013 | Joseph Smith | 2 comments. Then he had to be very careful for days to avoid capture. Newel said, Bro. You might also enjoy Emma Smith: My Storyor Emma and Lucy. [51] Elder Heber C. Kimball sent his family with the Youngs. [116] A plague of sickness that befell Nauvoo residents in the summer of 1839 was due in large measure to physical debility caused by sufferings during the previous year. If you look in the back of an LDS hymnbook, there is a whole section talking about meter as well. Martha, about eight months pregnant, said, To hear them [children] crying at night with their feet cracked and bleeding was hardly bearable. Her health partially returned, but she has never been able to work much since, her husband wrote in 1845. Far West Saints met in a public meeting on January 26 to consider measures to expedite the move out of state, given the seeming impossibility of moving in consequence of the extreme poverty of many.[29] A seven-man committee was appointed to find out how many needed help and how much help members could give to those in need. [77], On February 23, the Quincy Whig reported that Saints were coming in from all quarters and that for several days they have been crossing at this place, bringing with them the wreck of what they could save from their ruthless oppressors. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Conflicts between church members and neighbors also continued to escalate, and eventually Young made the decision to relocate the church to the Salt Lake Valley. She had a home and her children and she just had to carry on the best she could. Provo, UT 84602 The author analyzes such factors as social/political issues, gender, race . Emma eventually forced them to leave, unable to bear the pain of having Joseph's plural wives . . [29] Smith, History of the Church, 3:249. A Collection of Sacred Hymns for the Church of the Latter Day Saints was published in 1835. Did emma smith join the rlds church? - sdnimik.bluejeanblues.net At times he hid in members homes as he headed east. Newel and all men in the city had to surrender their arms. [117] Weakened by the rigorous trek in midwinter after the severe ordeal of persecution in Missouri, the exiles who were camped along the Mississippi River began to feel the effects of the hardships such that almost every family succumbed to the ague and bilious fever (Ivan J. Barrett, Joseph Smith and the Restoration [Provo, UT: BYU Press, 1973], 439). When he reached the Clevelands, Emma recognized him as he dismounted from his horse and met him half way to the gate.[101], A Quincy newspaper reporter publicized the arrival of Joseph Smith and his prison companions, concluding with a favorable description of the Church President and Prophet: We had supposed from the stories and statements we had read of Jo Smith (as he is termed in the papers) to find him a very illiterate, uncouth sort of man; but from a long conversation, we acknowledge an agreeable disappointment. . I fitted up a small wagon, procured a span of ponies, and sent my Wife and three children, in company with Bro. In July 1830 the Lord outlined her mission, in a revelation: Thou art an elect lady, whom I have called. Did Emma Smith leave the LDS Church? Caroline said that at one point that winter, Joseph Smith got word to Emma to send him quilts or bed clothes. [84] William Cahoon noted that a family named Travis offered him employment;[85] Mr. Travis also hired refugee Truman Angell to frame a barn. Jannalee worked as a writer and editor at LDS Living for seven years before hanging up her press badge and starting the journey of stay-at-home motherhood. On February 7 and 8, both men visited Liberty Jail, then returned to Far West. He had even dislocated his jaw while vomiting once before; and five weeks after the 1843 dinner episode, he was sick again, vomiting more violently than ever. This forced expulsion of Saints from Missouri produced short- and long-term consequences, as enumerated here for various of the parties involved. . The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. Browse the pages of the original 1835 hymnbook. Though Joseph died at a young age, Julia was raised by Emma to adulthood. [40] [Auto]Biographical Sketch of George Washington Gill Averett, typescript, 8, in Miscellaneous Mormon Diaries, vol. She later married Major Lewis Bidamon, who had supported the Mormons during the trials, but was not a member. For example, did Charles Wesley have any songs in her hymnal? It is significant to note that the revelation instructed the entire presidency of the Church to leave Kirtland. Holbrook left behind his wife Nancy, who a week later gave birth to their fourth child, and three small children ages seven, five, and two. -Stephanie. When one was unable to find employment, she hired Jane Manning herself. Many of them started from scratch and built up religious communities in Illinois and Iowa. He raised his hand and stopped me saying Hush, Hush. Huntington said that Joseph had come by ferryboat about 8:00 a.m. and was drest in an old pair of boots full of holes, pants torn, tucked inside of boots, blue cloak with collar turned up, wide brim black hat, rim sloped down, not been shaved for some time, looked pale & haggard. Dimick asked if he wished to see his father and mother, but Joseph wanted to see Emma and the children first. Events unfolded rapidly, with men from the neighboring towns staging raids on Nauvoo, trying to once again, drive out the Saints and claim their. Anti-Mormons had vowed to keep that ceremony from happening. Emma did, from time to time, offer approval of specific marriages. Emma died in Nauvoo on April 30, 1879, at age 75. Those refer to the meter used in the hymn text. During November and December, Joseph C. Kingsbury and Caroline, his wife of two years, lived in a little cabin with meager provisions. That is a great question! Brigham Young and his family, with several others, Kimball said. Along the way, he said he had to stop among strangers with my daughter who had given birth to a child on the prairie.[64] Elisha Whiting said his family was driven in the month of March through cold storms of snow and rain, having to make our beds on the cold wet ground which when we arose in the morning we often found drenched with water and then obliged to load our wet bedding into the waggon and move slowly forward.[65], About March 18, Wilford Woodruff, in Quincy and newly back from a mission, went to the river and looked across and saw a great many of the Saints, old and young, lying in the mud and water, in a rainstorm, without tent or covering. The exodus had no large, organized wagon trains. They belonged to a large, extended family headed by Joseph Knight Sr., who converted to Mormonism in New York state in 1830, the year the Church was organized. . The biography was an instant commercial success, selling out its first two printings. Delewski shared many of the words used to describe Emma: "Quick wit and pleasant personality," "intelligence," "fearless integrity," "kindness of heart," "discretion," "benevolent," "hospitable," "motherly in nature to young people," "very high-spirited," "dignified," "courage," "zeal," "patience," "no gossiper," "commanding presence" and "innate refinement.". He did not court the women or put his proposals in romantic terms. The river froze over & we were obliged to camp close to the river 3 days and nights before we could cross in the boat, 6 waggons were with us at the time.[41], By mid-January, Saints were leaving Far West daily. He referred to a handmade chart that showed the homes Emma Smith had during her 17-year marriage to Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Mormon Takeover of the West and Why - stolenhistory.net Mental and emotional scars. Ever since the Prophet Joseph died as a martyr in Carthage, Illinois, some Latter-day Saints have felt disappointment that Joseph's wife Emma did not go with the Church in the westward exodus of the Saints in 1846-47. L. Hannah Stoddard is the lead author of Faith Crisis, Volume 1: We Were NOT Betrayed!, Seer Stone v. Urim & Thummim: Book of Mormon Translation on Trial, and Faith Crisis, Volume 2: New Mormon History Exiled from Church Headquarters.She is the executive director of the Joseph Smith Foundation, and producer or director of seven .
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