A decision to continue to gather. Twice she undertook to kill him. On November 6, 1832, Emma gave birth to Joseph Smith III in the upper room of Whitney's store in Kirtland. It notes, Many of them crossed into Illinois at Quincy and were made welcome by the people here. In recent years, several related commemoration events have taken place in Quincy.[113]. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Josephs death occurred on 27 June 1844. God commanded and Joseph obeyed. May 1831 New York branches arrive in Ohio. Because if the LDS Church is false, none of those things matter! Sidney Rigdon had been released in January. [42] Joseph Holbrook and two other men, to escape those that would like to do us harm, moved out the night of January 20. . Mormons had a divorce rate of about 1 percent. Many wished to be associated with the prophet for the eternal blessings they felt this would bring. Answer (1 of 10): At the time of her husbands death, not much changed. Emma certainly made errors in judgment, as do we all. On March 5, Bishop Edward Partridge reported in Quincy that ice had been running for three days so that no one could cross the Mississippi. For more on Emma Smith, check out the new acclaimed film Jane and Emma. We invite you to give back. Saddleback Church doubles down on support for female pastors, Mormonisms slow shift away from demonizing working mothers, Faith leaders urge Biden to sign executive order for reparations study by Juneteenth, For many congregations, wiping out medical debt has become a popular calling, More Jesus, less touching: 14 changes to the Mormon temple endowment ceremony, Real Housewife Heather Gay pens a juicy ex-Mormon memoir, How to stay Mormon after a faith crisis (if staying is what you want), Copyright 2020, Religion News Service. These souls, by and large, were poor, bedraggled, and sickly. [101] Cited in Baugh, We Took Our Change of Venue, 52. Emma contributed "in creating a distinct identity for the church" because this hymnbook's lyrics "emphasize key tenets of the religion." Understanding how early Saints worked earnestly to build up the Church helps us better appreciate the value of their work. [76] They moved in with Judge John Cleveland and his Latter-day Saint wife, Sarah, four miles east of Quincy. Much business of consequence was accomplished during the day, Elder Woodruff noted, adding, It truly gave us great Joy to once more sit in conference with Br. During the exodus, Truman Angells wife Elizabeth, already ill, took a cold upon cold and was expected to die. To do so, would be to act with extreme cruelty. While in Liberty Jail, Joseph Smith had instructed them to compile statements and affidavits about their losses and sufferings with the design of securing redress from the federal government for the losses they suffered in Missouri (Doctrine and Covenants 123:113). Not for Daniel Stillwell and Martha Payne Jones Thomas and their family. . [39] Joseph Holbrook said that Saints understood that if the Church would make haste and move as fast as possible it would [do] much to the relieve our brethren who were now in jail as our enemies were determined to hold them as hostages until the church left the state so that every exertion was made in the dead of the winter to remove as fast as possible (Life of Joseph Holbrook, 46). The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Was also Governor of Utah Territory from February 3, 1851 to April 12, 1858. What happened to Emma Smith? He had one illegitimate child and after marrying Emma had another, which she raised, making her a most extraordinary woman. [126] Hartley, How Shall I Gather? Ensign, October 1997, 517. He could find no way to bring the Butlers wagon across the river, so he spent the night with his family. Thank you for your insight about and compassion for Emma, and for taking the time to write about and share it with us. Emma crossed the ice carefully, walking apart from the wagon. Her fugitive son Samuel came from Quincy and arranged for a ferryman to take the Smith party across. in getting one single wagon to convey beds, clothing, and provisions for our family, and luggage. Latter-day Saint widow Elizabeth Kendall and her family first became acquainted with Emma at the Mansion House in Nauvoo. The Smoots lacked a team, so their wagon was useless. In 1984, Linda wrote, with Valeen Tippetts Avery, Mormon Enigma:Emma Hale Smith, which has stood for nearly three decades as the definitive biography of Emma. Quincy, he said, was full of memberseven though Saints were scattering out from there almost constantly. A number of teams arrived from Illinois to help move the last families. All Rights Reserved. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Emma Smith would make tremendous sacrifices for the gospel of Jesus Christ, for her husband, and for the church. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. [4], November 1 brought heartbreak for all Saints in Far West. She seems, among other things, to have been worried about providing for her children, as well as protecting them from the violence which had claimed Joseph. Question: Why did Emma Smith and Brigham Young dislike one another? A stone weighing about a ton was rolled to the southeast corner of the site. Here Samuel had hired a house and we moved into it, with four other families.[53]. [100] Stanley B. Kimball, The Saints and St. Louis, 18311857: An Oasis of Tolerance and Security, BYU Studies 13 (Summer 1973): 489519. Seeing the injuries, she rushed back to her house and brought back camphor, brown paper, and a pan of warm water. Not six months before the death of Joseph, he called his wife Emma into a secret council, and there he told her the truth, and called upon her to deny it if she could. Its seven members, soon expanded to eleven, agreed to move first the families of the Presidency and of the other prisoners. [72] It is about 130 miles upriver from St. Louis and 45 miles directly south of where Nauvoo now is. We are a volunteer organization. Joseph Knights son Newel was Joseph Smiths close friendthe Prophet had performed his and Lydias wedding in Kirtland, and he had no followers more loyal than Newel and Lydia. [97] Liberty Jail prisoners were Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, Lyman Wight, Alexander McRae, and Caleb Baldwin. Martha, about eight months pregnant, said, To hear them [children] crying at night with their feet cracked and bleeding was hardly bearable. She had a lock of his hair cut and given to her. 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). Delewski thinks she may have been the most promising of the Hale children because she had a rare additional year of schooling. At the time, perhaps ten thousand Mormons were concentrated in two particular counties. When the river opened, the Thomases used two boats to move their effects across, while Daniel and son Morgan, twelve, stayed behind to ferry the cow across later. 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.. Shortly after the doctrine of baptism for the dead was introduced in August 1840, Emma was baptized on behalf of several of her deceased family members, including her parents, an aunt, and one of her sisters. She seems, among other things, to have been worried about providing for her children, as well as protecting them from the violence which had claimed Joseph. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. At least one man escaped west to Fort Leavenworth. William G. Hartley was a professor emeritus of history at Brigham Young University when this was published. . Emma Smith played an important part in the Restoration of the gospel, and today, more than two centuries after her birth on July 10, 1804, Church members can still learn from Emma's example. Quincys compassion, noted historian Richard E. Bennett, saved the saints as a people and may even have saved the Church as an institution.[88], Assigned by the Committee of Removal, David Rogers visited Jackson County on March 15, sold Church properties, raised some $2,700, and brought the funds to Far West by mid-April. "Remember, Emma was a woman of refinement and education. Emma Smith was the wife of the first Mormon prophet, Joseph Smith. She was able to utilize the properties she owned to support her family, but with difficulty, particularly since she was left to cover Josephs many debts. Their hospitality stemmed more from pity than anything else. They took what scanty provisions we could muster. They walked and slept under the sky. Find out how to attend either in person or virtually: The winners of the Church History Museums 12th International Art Competition have been announced, and the artwork is breathtaking. Joseph Smith, when asked, advised leaders to obtain properties where the Saints could collect rather than scatter, and he developed Nauvoo to be the next gathering place.[115]. The Missouri Arguss editor argued incorrectly on December 20, 1838, that they cannot be driven beyond the limits of the statethat is certain. Find out a few things you may not have known about this prominent woman in Church history. A Collection of Sacred Hymns for the Church of the Latter Day Saints, https://www.lds.org/music/index/hymns/title-tune-meter?lang=eng&_r=1, https://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/HTML/what_is_meter.htm. [8] Lavina Fielding Anderson, ed., Lucys Book: A Critical Edition of Lucy Mack Smiths Family Memoir (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2001), 69192. Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith . No portion of this site may be reproduced without the express written consent of The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. Any opinions expressed, implied, or included in or with the goods and services offered by FAIR are solely those of FAIR and not those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church News asked Church historians to answer the question "What should Church members know about Emma Hale Smith?" Here's what they had to say: Did Emma Smith leave the LDS Church? We are sensible, brethren, that you have done all that you could do in removing the poor Saints, they said, adding that nor have we, brethren, been backward in exerting our energies for that purpose. "Women felt comfortable leaving their children in the church nursery across the hall," she writes, "because the caregivers passed background checks, earned a fair wage, and had a well-managed. 3. . Caroline said that at one point that winter, Joseph Smith got word to Emma to send him quilts or bed clothes. Given these losses, it appears to me that Emma managed quite well.". How Orrin Hatch protected people of faith, KSL Newsradio is preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Out went everything by the log, Martha said, the looking glass by a stump. That night Martha, soon to give birth, became ill, so Daniel rigged up a bed frame made of forked sticks and rope strands, and then drove in the frozen ground four six-foot poles topped by cross poles, hung quilts all around, and left openings at the bottom so the heat of the log fire would shine in to keep them warm. Finally, in some respects, the exodus from Missouri was a training exercise for the Saints exodus from Nauvoo seven years later. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. . [75] Wandle Mace Autobiography, typescript, 3132, Perry Special Collections. The exodus from Missouri generated a rich store of documents and records. 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. When the Twelve returned from Far West in early May, they rejoiced to see him a free man in Illinois. What are various methods available for deploying a Windows application? 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. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Emma Hale Smith Bidamon passed away in Nauvoo on April 30, 1879 , and is buried next to Joseph. That party came to include Brigham Young, Orson Pratt, and John Taylor. Joseph Smiths parents tried to leave early in February, but Lucy said, Just as we got our goods into the waggon, a man came to us and said, that Sidney Rigdons family were ready to start, and must have the waggon immediately. (Later, on April 6, 1830, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would be officially organized there.) 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. By October 1839, King Follett had his trial, and because the charges of robbery were unsubstantiated, he was set free. [20] The Mormon church has said for the first time that its founder Joseph Smith had up to 40 wives. were destroyed or lost.[92], A year earlier, Joseph Smith had received a commandment for the Twelve to leave for missions over the great waters from the Far West temple site on April 26, 1839 (Doctrine and Covenants 118). She frequently found herself living in the homes of others and just as frequently took complete strangers into her own home. Health problems and deaths. They averaged ten miles per day. We finally got across, and we were so glad, for before we reached the other side, the river had started to swell and break up. he spoke to her in that council in a very severe manner, and she never said one word in reply. 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. Brigham interpreted Emma's refusal to answer as an admission of guilt.. [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. My God is it you Bro. She would smile with her lips, but to me, as small as I was, I never saw the brown eyes smile. 4 How many wives did Joseph Smith have LDS? Mobbers shot cows while girls were milking them. [79] In its March 2 issue, the Quincy Whig termed the Saints crossing the Mississippi River objects of charity. Because they had been thrown upon our shores destitute, through the oppressive people of Missouri, common humanity must oblige us to aid and relieve them all in our power.[80], On March 5, Bishop Partridge reported from Quincy to Joseph Smith, The people here receive us kindly and are willing that we should enjoy the privileges guaranteed to all civil people without molestation.[81], Joseph Sr. and wife Lucy rented a house or part of it on the northeast corner of Sixth and Hampshire streets. Food was scarce, and housing inadequate. A few days later, Martha gave birth to a son she named after the Prophet. Social conversation and discretion were traits for which she was well-known. After 17 years of marriage, Emma's second husband, Lewis Bidamon, had a child with another woman named Nancy Abercrombie. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The temple site has been salvaged and given modern landscaping, but no houses remain. Today, the world is divided into two, torn apart on whether or not to believe the story due to the lack of evidence. We had the last company of the poor with us that could be removed.[96], But the exodus was not quite complete because five prisoners were still in Liberty Jail and six in Richmonds jail, including King Follett, who had just been arrested that month while trying to leave Missouri. [32] Committee of Removal members were William Huntington, Charles Bird, Alanson Ripley, Theodore Turley, Daniel Shearer, Shadrach Roundy, and Jonathan H. Hale. In conversation, he appears intelligent and candid, and divested of all malicious thought and feeling towards his relentless persecutors.[102], Joseph Smith quickly finalized plans for a new gathering place for the homeless Saints upriver at Commerce, soon to be renamed Nauvoo. Joseph was susceptible to vomiting anyway. The oxen they had left could not pull all the load, so Newel unloaded part of his and Brigham Youngs goods and left them in the care of a friendly resident. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". 16, Lee Library, 67; Joseph Smith, History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ed. [114] Close Friends as Witnesses: Joseph Smith and the Joseph Knight Families, in Joseph Smith: The Prophet, the Man, ed. To understand her, we have to place her in her own setting and time, not in our own. Mercy should be the watchwordnot blood, not extermination, not misery.. Learn about and browse the pages of the first hymnal of the Church. 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. 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. Emma and Josephs descendants grew up separated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He finally broke with all organized religion. She would leave her parents in 1830, never to see them again as she and her family were forced to move from place to place to avoid persecution and violence. They formed the first wave of the exodus. Elder Young, when his life seemed in danger, left Far West for Illinois on February 14, but Elder Kimball stayed behind to help with the removals.[38]. She had a home and her children and she just had to carry on the best she could. Many of them started from scratch and built up religious communities in Illinois and Iowa. Joseph Smith's death on June 27, 1844, created tremendous upheaval for Emma. [95] Kenney, Wilford Woodruffs Journal, 1:329. . [49] Brother Markham then drove the wagon back to Far West to bring others out. FAIR is controlled and operated by the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR). [5] Gentry, Latter-day Saints in Northern Missouri, 32527; Alexander L. Baugh, A Call to Arms: The 1838 Mormon Defense of Northern Missouri (PhD diss., Brigham Young University, 1996), 34047. Bidamon married Nancy Sebree in 1827, with whom he had four children. One of the other items was a photograph of a family member that was mislabeled as being Emma. [93] Kenney, Wilford Woodruffs Journal, 1:325. That larger move was led by Brigham Young and other Apostles whose first tutorial about moving a mass of people came during the Missouri exodus. Her health partially returned, but she has never been able to work much since, her husband wrote in 1845. He also owned and rented out ten or twelve small houses he had built. The CES Director apparently never got around to responding. Terrie, you are a treasure. . [123] Butler denounced the hard-heartedness that Missourians had shown his wife and children and Church authorities. Shortly after her baptism in July 1830, Emma Smithwas called by God to compile a hymnbook to edify the Church. Whatever the situation, Emma eventually found herself unable to cope with polygamy. [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. [97] During a change of venue from Daviess to Boone County, Joseph Smith and the four others who had been in Liberty Jail were allowed to escape on April 16, and they found their way to Illinois safely. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. It was difficult, dramatic, sometimes harrowing, and only partly organized. However, she was never really an active member of that church, nor did she become active in any other church. Her husband, on the other hand, had only a handful of years of formal education. Every thing my family took with them out of Missouri, could have been packed on the backs of two horses; the mob took all the rest.[52]. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. She was well-educated and taught school. Dirty smoking school of prophets. [27] Gentry, Latter-day Saints in Northern Missouri, 41419. Abraham O. Smoot became mayor of Salt Lake City and then Provo, president of the Utah Stake, and a promoter of Brigham Young Academy. An old man who was sympathetic to the needy Saints hired John to teach his children and grandchildren and neighbors children. appoint the oldest of those of the Twelve, who were first appointed, to be the president of your quorum., Brigham Young was the senior Apostle, hence the presiding Church officer on the ground. So adamant was Emma on this point that the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held it as an article of faith, and Emma's children never accepted the idea that Joseph had instituted plural marriage. It turned out that such calls had gone out to bishops and stake presidents in several states. Samuel said they traveled the most secluded route they could find. My family . Emma did not learn about their deaths until 10:00 p.m. that same evening. 8 What did Emma Emma do for the LDS Church? Anson Call. When did Emma Smith leave the church? There are several reasons Emma stayed in Nauvoo after Joseph Smith's death, but a few in particular stand out. Being forced from Missouri posed a test of faith that most Saints passed, but some failed, as the extended Knight family illustrates. [71], Quincy is on the east bank of the Mississippi on a limestone bluff 125 feet above the river. This remarkable event is free, but space is limited. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Required fields are marked *. Emma Smith was born in 1804 in Pennsylvania and had unusual opportunities for a girl in her time. What does the L.M., C.M. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992. Thomass version is in E. Kay Kirkham, Daniel Stillwell Thomas, Utah Pioneer of 1849, bound typescript, 26; wife Martha Pane Jones Thomass version in Kate Woodhouse Kirkham, ed., Daniel Stillwell Thomas Family History, bound typescript, n.d., n.p., 25; copies in authors possession. We loaded up our little efects into a wagon and with one small pair of stears we started out with five children [ages twelve, nine, seven, four, and two] in our family and only one pair of shoes amongst them, Daniel wrote. LDS Church History documents that their mormon founder, Joseph Smith, lied to a large group of people about his having multiple wives. Three or four Latter-day Saint families lived in his houses adjoining the Butlers, and the man treated them all with kindness, which seemed a new thing to us, John confessed. [73], Church members living in Quincy and nearby tried to help the refugees when they crossed the river. It was enough to make the heart ache to see the children, sick with colds, and crying around their mothers for food, whilst their parents were destitute of the means of making them comfortable.[21], Northwest Missouri winters can be harsh. It was the anniversary of the death of the twins she lost in Kirtland. . . She was not perfect and made choices that seem hard for us to understand today. She is remembered for her unrelenting strength and ability to overcome hardships. 3 The process, like so many other endeavors in her life, Accordingly, our goods were taken out. They waited until another team came for them. Great questions! It nearly broke both of our hearts. They lived with his family and then with hers for a time. Susan Easton Black and Richard E. Bennett (Salt Lake City: Millennial Press, 2000), 134. Tucked between popular Church history chapters about Liberty Jail and Nauvoo is a little-known but vitally important chapter dealing with the Latter-day Saints seven-month struggle to survive the winter of 183839 in Missouri and to leave there by spring 1839. Some participants in the Missouri exodus vented powerful feelings of anger, horror, outrage, and persecution. Emma was a significant part of the church while her husband was alive. Constant delays meant that the Knights did not reach the Mississippi River until early May. On this same day, there was a skirmish between the mob and the Saints west of Big Blue River. They got some better, Caroline said. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. She wore it in a locket the rest of her life, even after she remarried. She joined in his efforts to protect them from thieves and acted on occasion as his scribe. Alpheus Cutler placed it in position. They collected donations of furniture, farm implements, and money from farm sales. Saints had until late March to vacate Missouri, but they started leaving in earnest during January. The comfortable and peaceful life she had led as a girl had done little to prepare her for this new life, but she faced it with faith. Hundreds still lacked the means to leave. [32] The committee surveyed the needs and weighed requests for help. She had to provide for the family after being deprived of the corn they had grown on their farm, which vigilantes had prevented them from harvesting. I, 29 December 1833 to 31 December 1840 (Midvale, UT: Signature Books, 1983), 322. Emma Smith's personality and background, her almost nomadic search for a home, the loss of so many she loved and the stresses of plural marriage all played a part in her decision to remain in Nauvoo. The CES Director asked Jeremy to send him a list of issues that had caused him to lose his faith, with the intention of helping him out. At the time of her birth, her parents had a good relationship with a prominent local family, which may have affected her name selection. [35], On February 11 the committee accepted applications for assistance, and the next day they appointed Theodore Turley to superintend the management of the teams provided for removing the poor. The plan was for some wagons to go east, unload passengers and belongings at the Mississippi, and then return empty to help others move out. When Elizabeth died in childbirth, young Elizabeth Agnes was leftwith her stepfather and, soon after, a new stepmother. 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. [69] Kenney, ed., Wilford Woodruffs Journal, 1:322. When her stepparents determined they could no longer care for her, the 8-year-old orphan found her way back to Emma. He told here where she got the poison, and how she put it in a cup of coffee; said he 'You got that poison from so and so, and I drank it, but you could not kill me.' and P.M. refer to at the beginning of each hymn? He instructed them to have the women pray about the request. Emmas life was a complex one. Were most of her songs from her Methodist tradition, or did she draw more broadly? The city cemeterys tombstones marking where some two hundred Saints are buried are long gone, and the site has become farmland.
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