Learn about and browse the pages of the first hymnal of the Church. . By Scott D. Pierce. To understand her, we have to place her in her own setting and time, not in our own. Martha, about eight months pregnant, said, To hear them [children] crying at night with their feet cracked and bleeding was hardly bearable. The views expressed by individual users are the responsibility of those users and do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. John P. Greene reported that during the months of February and March, the Mormons who were already in Quincy, formed a committee among themselves, to aid to the best of their power the committee of Far West in giving assistance to their suffering brethren. [109] Johnson, Mormon Redress Petitions, xixxxvii. In addition to grieving the loss of her husband, she was expecting their final child. [84] William Cahoon noted that a family named Travis offered him employment;[85] Mr. Travis also hired refugee Truman Angell to frame a barn. Why did Emma Smith opt to stay in Nauvoo? First, Emma had intense anxiety over the protection of Joseph's and Hyrum's bodies. a much-debated stair-pushing catfight with Eliza R. Snow. We invite you to give back. . Caroline Butler, whose husband had fled Missouri in November, couldnt care for her four young children, ages seven years to two months, and drive her wagon at the same time. She taught school before she met Joseph Smith. For your free copy of the Bible, go to Free Holy Bible and for a free Book of Mormon, go to Free Book of Mormon, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. 4, Missouri (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2004), 28889, 361, 402. 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. Emma and Brigham also disagreed about which parts of Joseph's estate were personal property, and which belonged to the Church.[1]. Abraham O. Smoot became mayor of Salt Lake City and then Provo, president of the Utah Stake, and a promoter of Brigham Young Academy. The following article was originally publishedin December 2015. Mormon Church Admits Founder Joseph Smith Had Up To 40 Wives : The Two-Way : NPR. Dirty smoking school of prophets. Three days later they reached De Witt, where they sold a property deed and bought a yoke of steers for $25 and a wagon for $30. Why did Emma Smith leave the LDS Church? -Stephanie. [44] Ebenezer Robinson, Items of Personal History of the Editor, Including Some items of Church History Not Generally Known. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. 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. [63] Eliza R. Snow, an Immortal: Selected Works by Eliza R. Snow (Salt Lake City: Nicholas G. Morgan Sr., 1957), 1011. [117] Benjamin F. Johnson observed that during the rest of 1839 in the Nauvoo area, the people had flocked in from the terible exposures of the past and Nearly every one was Sick with intemitant or other fevers of which many diedIn this time of great Sickness poverty & death.[118] Henry Jackson claimed the Marchs Stormy blasts of Snow & rain so affected his Sight that he was not able to work.[119] The exodus caused considrable sickness for the Levi Hancock family.[120] Mosiah Hancock, the boy who had crossed the Mississippi ice barefoot, was an emaciated lad for many months. in getting one single wagon to convey beds, clothing, and provisions for our family, and luggage. On four she had to move because of disruption caused by neighbors. 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. [94] Porter, Brigham Young and the Twelve, 14149. He was the son of Joseph and Lucy Mack Smith. She, in turn, was instructed by Joseph to officiate in these ordinances for the women, which she did until shortly before his martyrdom. As they moved on they found camp fires and tent poles already struck nearly all the way after this, apparently provided by the Committee of Removal. Joseph Smith - Wikipedia Susan Easton Black and Richard E. Bennett (Salt Lake City: Millennial Press, 2000), 134. The Butler and Smoot families. 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. Print. From there, refugees had to cross the South and North Fabius rivers and mudflats to reach the Mississippi opposite Quincy. When pressed, Lindas bishop admitted he had received a similar call. [89] In consequence of the sale of Lands in Jackson County, William Huntington, head of the Committee of Removal, said, We ware able to remove All the poor who had a desire To leave the state by April 13, the day he left Far West. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. You might notice something a bit surprisingtheres no musical notation! One is that Emma had lived her adult life moving from place to place and house to house, crossing frozen rivers and walking in lots of mud and snow. Emma: People say all kinds of things, but Julia I know better. Give us employment, the Saints pleaded, rent us farms, and allow us the protection and privileges of other citizens., The Quincy citizens committee passed a resolution which said that the Saints are entitled to our sympathy and kindest regard. Any Saints who because of sickness or destitution found themselves homeless, the committee decided, should appeal directly for assistance. See discussion in Linda King Newell and Valeen Tippetts Avery. Your email address will not be published. Church Service When Joseph returned to Harmony, he received a revelation for Emma, now known as Doctrine and Covenants 25, calling her an elect lady and encouraging her to comfort and support Joseph in his afflictions. [87], It is not known how many Saints temporarily took refuge in Quincy. Joseph Knight Jr., for one, claimed $200 for a mill burned down, $50 for a house burned, $50 for 3 acres of land and 50 peach trees, $25 for hay and corn, $475 for losses of land and town properties, and $150 for expenses for moving twice. [121] James Galligher claimed he was exposed to the weather in which sickness followed & the loss of one of my Children.[122] Innumerable such examples can be cited. Events of the 1838 Mormon War soon escalated, resulting in Joseph's surrender and imprisonment by Missouri officials. https://www.lds.org/music/index/hymns/title-tune-meter?lang=eng&_r=1. They received them as they came, sent forward all who had means and strength into the interior, provided the poor and sick with lodgings, fuel, food and clothing.[74] Wandle Mace opened his house to the refugees. She helped to care for Josephs mother and her mother-in-law noted that few women had endured as many trials as she had with so much grace. Speaking of Smith's "eternity-only" marriages to already married women, the church writes, " These sealings may also be explained by Joseph's reluctance to enter plural marriage because of the. 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. 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: Some participants in the Missouri exodus vented powerful feelings of anger, horror, outrage, and persecution. These were the top four reasons for leaving the LDS Church: "I studied church history and lost my belief" (39% primary factor, 81% moderate to strong factor); "I lost faith in Joseph Smith" (39% primary, 84% mod-strong); "I ceased to believe in the church's doctrine/theology" (38% primary, 87% mod-strong); Is probably the most famous Latter Day Saint polygamist with 55 wives. They averaged ten miles per day. At least one man escaped west to Fort Leavenworth. Aroet Hale said a Mr. Stilson employed his father. In intense cold, Lydia recalled, they sometimes scraped away snow beside the wagon so they could put down their beds at night. He could scarcely refrain from weeping.[105], Once safely in Illinois, the Saints still had some unfinished business related to their expulsion from Missouri. Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith . A storehouse of historical documents and records. [71], Quincy is on the east bank of the Mississippi on a limestone bluff 125 feet above the river. Who Is Leaving the Church? - BYU Studies 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. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our. . [34] Saints used existing roads as much as possible, although some took detours to avoid problems with local residents or to avoid being recognized. [64] History of Zera Pulsipher As Written by Himself, typescript, 1516, Perry Special Collections. Her judgment lies in God's hands, not in ours or Brigham Young's. We were not permitted to leave Far West, Anson Call said, only to get our firewood. Joseph Smith in Northern Missouri, 1838 - Religious Studies Center We had not the privilege of hunting our cattle and horses.[14] Newel Knight noted that because the Saints were unarmed, they became prey for small parties of armed men insulting our women, driving off our stock, and plundering. To him it seemed as though all hell was aroused to do us injury.[15] Newels cousin Reed Peck said that some horses, wagons and much other property were stolen from the Mormons by some of the militia who were villains enough to plunder.[16] By late November, most crops around Far West were unharvested, and potatoes still in the ground were frose solid. Soldiers rifled through homes, Albert Rockwood said, and our sheep & hogs, & horses [are] drove off before our eyes by the Missourians who come in small companies well armed.[17], In neighboring Daviess County, Missouri militia ordered all the Saints out and gave William Huntington and eleven other Mormons four weeks to round up the Latter-day Saints livestock, wagons, and personal property. Taking a direction shown him by the Spirit, Samuel and two others found a wigwam where an Indian woman baked cakes for all the company. John and his son Orrice walked. 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. With other refugees, she and six children ages two through nine accompanied their small wagon, pulled by a blind horse. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". 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. [82] Lucy Smith said ladies in Quincy sent them every delicacy which the city afforded.[83] Residents proffered employment. 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. . 590-592: Stephen M. Veazey, Prophet-President of - Mormon Stories [33] They sent agents eastward to deposit corn for Saints to use along the way, to contract for ferries, and to ensure security for the travelers. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Joseph Smith. At Adam-ondi-Ahman, Saints in October 1838 were building about 150 log houses, but most of them were not finished by the time the Saints left. Brigham Young University After Joseph Smith died, Emma Smith moved away from Nauvoo for about six months before returning. Why did Ema Smith leave the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints To add an RSC website shortcut to your home screen, open the website in the Safari browser. My mother called my legs pipe stems, and my arms straws! he said. Twas a very cold and blustering night. They put clothes over the wagon tongue to make a tent and put their beds underneath. Minute Book 1, 14 Sept. 1835; Joseph Smith III, "Last Testimony of Sister Emma," Saints' Herald, 1 Oct. 1879, 289; "Hale, Emma," in Black, Membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-1848, 19:846; Newell and Avery, Mormon Enigma, 57; Cook, Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 37.