why did emma smith leave the lds church
She joined in his efforts to protect them from thieves and acted on occasion as his scribe. Newel Knight had a wagon but no team. Their difficult trip to Mississippi River took twelve days: We had snow and rain every day but 2. The Apostles group arrived at Far West soon after midnight on April 26. In intense cold, Lydia recalled, they sometimes scraped away snow beside the wagon so they could put down their beds at night. Emma Hale Smith was the seventh of nine children. It is significant to note that the revelation instructed the entire presidency of the Church to leave Kirtland. Required fields are marked *. Anti-Mormons had vowed to keep that ceremony from happening. 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. 16, Lee Library, 67; Joseph Smith, History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ed. Some participants in the Missouri exodus vented powerful feelings of anger, horror, outrage, and persecution. In the October session of General Conference 1866, Brigham Young made these comments: "To my certain knowledge, Emma Smith is one of the damnedest liars I know of on this earth; yet there is no good thing I would refuse to do for her, if she would only be a righteous woman; but she will continue in her wickedness. [58] Hartley, My Best for the Kingdom, 8790. Training experience for 1846 exodus. [109] Johnson, Mormon Redress Petitions, xixxxvii. [84] Aroet Hale, Autobiography, typescript, 6, Perry Special Collections. But the youngest wife sealed to Smith was only 14 years old when she married him . She was a schoolteacher and even owned items of value, including cows. Thats likely why its content was acceptable for the Ensign nearly a century after the Church had begun distancing itself from polygamy. In jail in Richmond were Parley P. Pratt, Norman Shearer, Darwin Chase, Luman Gibbs, Morris Phelps, and King Follett. After a quick Google search, I found out that PM probably stands for peculiar meter. I hadnt heard of that before, and it isnt in the current edition of the LDS hymnbook. Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805 - June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and the founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement.At the age of 24, Smith published the Book of Mormon and by the time of his death, 14 years later, he had attracted tens of thousands of followers. Brigham had very little patience for those who demeaned or rejected Joseph; the difficulties that Joseph experienced with Emma can only have frustrated the loyal Brigham. At the same time, much of the Church's debt was held by Joseph as a private citizenthus, Emma was liable for Joseph/the Church's debts, but had a less clear claim on the Church's lands that Joseph held as Trustee-in-Trust.[3]. [9] The men split into two groups to avoid attention. When the two authors began piecing together Emmas life, there was only one small manila folder about her in the entire LDS Archives. . [98] That summer the prisoners who had been at Richmond escaped confinement, except King Follett. "I will suggest that she didn't change. 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. Young put on board some of his goods into the wagon carrying the Knights, and both families resumed their journeys. She taught school before she met Joseph Smith. Uncertain which policy to push, the conference voted against accepting the land offer (Journal History, February 1, 1839). Emma Smith was the wife of the first Mormon prophet, Joseph Smith. I fitted up a small wagon, procured a span of ponies, and sent my Wife and three children, in company with Bro. He had one illegitimate child and after marrying Emma had another, which she raised, making her a most extraordinary woman. However, I discovered there was a different attitude about Emma. What did Lucy Mack Smith say about Emma Smith? On February 19 or 20, Joseph Smiths parents, Joseph Sr. and Lucy, finally joined the exodus. When Elizabeth died in childbirth, young Elizabeth Agnes was leftwith her stepfather and, soon after, a new stepmother. . The Joseph Smith Papers project explains that Emmas work laid a foundation for the continued role of music in Latter-day Saint worship. Emma contributed in creating a distinct identity for the church because this hymnbooks lyrics emphasize key tenets of the religion.. She would lose many of her children. [9] Leonard J. Arrington, Charles C. Rich (Provo, UT: BYU Press, 1974), 60; Juanita Brooks, ed., On the Mormon Frontier: The Diary of Hosea Stout, 18441861 (Salt Lake City, Utah: University of Utah Press and the Utah State Historical Society, 1964), xvi; Lorenzo Dow Young, Recollections, Four Faith Promoting Classics (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1968), 5254. Her husband, on the other hand, had only a handful of years of formal education. Events of the 1838 Mormon War soon escalated, resulting in Joseph's surrender and imprisonment by Missouri officials. The authors were alarmed, though Linda was comforted by her stake president, who told her, You are my parishioner, and I will see you through this no matter how long it takes.. 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. [103] Kenney, Wilford Woodruffs Journal, 1:330, entry for May 4, 1839. Also, three men were sent to locate possible settlement sites up the Mississippi River in Illinois. By primitive Missouri roads, the distance from Far West to Quincy was about 180 miles. Joseph had been translating the Bible before he was imprisoned, and Emma also carried these documents with her, hidden in bags under her skirts. Emma Hale Smith Bidamon (July 10, 1804 - April 30, 1879) was an American homesteader, the first wife of Joseph Smith, and a prominent leader in the early days of the Latter Day Saint movement, both during Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church). They got some better, Caroline said. Economic impact on Illinois and Iowa. Fugitive John Butler, in Quincy, learned of their arrival, and he rowed across the river in a canoe, dodging ice. However, President Young advised the Saints to gather in order to help each other better. The next day, Missouri troops brought Joseph and Hyrum Smith and five other prisoners into town in wagons to pick up personal effects and say good-bye. ( 6-8 Oct 1866, 36th Semi-Annual Conference, Bowery, G. S. L. City. . Joseph Smiths parents. Required fields are marked *. . . [58], The Butlers and Smoots reached the Mississippi on March 10 or 11. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". They formed the first wave of the exodus. [114] Close Friends as Witnesses: Joseph Smith and the Joseph Knight Families, in Joseph Smith: The Prophet, the Man, ed. How many wives did Joseph Smith have LDS? Did Emma Smith leave the LDS Church? Emma and her family were forced to leave the state with the majority of Latter Day Saints. Mobbers shot cows while girls were milking them. Baggage filled the wagon, so Martha and Caroline sometimes took turns riding next to Abraham, the driver, while the other walked with and carried children. They were enough to wear out any woman and if she, in the end, was tired of fighting her way through life, that can be understood. There are several reasons Emma stayed in Nauvoo after Joseph Smith's death, but a few in particular stand out. 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. And even when people did leave, they left reverently, speaking only in whispers. Joseph taught what God revealed, nothing more. [79] Smith, History of the Church, 3:270. About sunset we landed in Quincy, Lucy said. He rode with the Mormon militia who fought in the Battle of Crooked River. Her judgment lies in God's hands, not in ours or Brigham Young's. In July 1830, Joseph Smith received a revelation addressed specifically to Emma. At Quincy, where some Church members lived, John taught school for a short period. A later First Presidency report about the exodus noted that women and children marked their footsteps on the frozen ground with blood, it being the dead of winter.[54] Was this an exaggeration? 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. [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. [112] A Proclamation to the Saints Scattered AbroadGreeting, Times and Seasons, January 15, 1841, 6. They passed Saints heading east, including Elder John E. Page, who turned around and joined them. [123], Ghost towns and farms. That party came to include Brigham Young, Orson Pratt, and John Taylor. [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. This book contains copies of the individual and group petitions and provides excellent explanations about each of the petition drives and how the petitions were used by the Church to seek redress for its members. Great questions! Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. That did not stop Emma, a visionary woman in her own sense of the word. The Atonement of Christ Redeems Us from the Fall. Emma and Josephs descendants grew up separated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Emma crossed the ice carefully, walking apart from the wagon. In 1842, when the Ladies' Relief Society of Nauvoo was formed as a . 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. Events of the 1838 Mormon War soon escalated, resulting in Joseph's surrender and imprisonment by Missouri officials. 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 often anxious and sad, but she coped. June 1831 To his military leaders, it decreed, The Mormons must be treated as enemies and must be exterminated or driven from the state, if necessary for the public good.[2] Four days later, that order reached Church leaders and members in northwest Missouri. They pulled out of Far West on February 18, leaving behind a house and farm. [72] It is about 130 miles upriver from St. Louis and 45 miles directly south of where Nauvoo now is. How Orrin Hatch protected people of faith, KSL Newsradio is preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary. [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. 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. Emma certainly made errors in judgment, as do we all. Another story about bleeding feet involves Nancy Hammer, whose husband Austin was murdered in the Hauns Mill Massacre a few months earlier. . What happened to Emma Smith? 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. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. [80] The Mormons, Quincy Whig, March 2, 1839. Susan Easton Black and Charles D. Tate Jr. (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1993), 27184. Emma served as a scribe during his first efforts to translate the Book of Mormon. 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. On this same day, there was a skirmish between the mob and the Saints west of Big Blue River. That morning we crossed over to Quincy, Illinois. Emma was a significant part of the church while her husband was alive. . Her husband was arrested, essentially for being Mormon, leaving her alone to care for her children. [126] Hartley, How Shall I Gather? Ensign, October 1997, 517. [54] The Saints Petition to Congress, November 1839, in Smith, History of the Church, 4:2438; the mention of bloody footsteps is on p. 36. It took me a minute to find what you were looking at, but if I am correct, I see the PMs in Emma Smiths original hymnbook. In the past three decades, there has been more published about Emma Smith in official church channels, including the new Daughters in My Kingdom manual, which mentions her very positively as the founder of the Relief Society, and the Gospel Doctrine manual for church history, which holds her up as an examplesomewhat reproachfullyof how to support ones spouse. [96] Manuscript History of Brigham Young, Church History Library, 28. However, a significant number had taken refuge in St. Louis, a Missouri city that became an oasis of tolerance for Mormons. When her son became an adult and headed up the Reorganized Church, as it was then known, she joined. Mercy should be the watchwordnot blood, not extermination, not misery.. When did Emma Smith leave the church? But Brigham died before she had the opportunity to speak with him. She was not perfect and made choices that seem hard for us to understand today. Sorry about that! There can be no question, though, that she made sacrifices far beyond what most Mormons would be asked to make, and that she experienced more than her fair share of suffering. Who was the oldest president of the LDS Church? [94] Porter, Brigham Young and the Twelve, 14149. According to historian Richard Bushman, Joseph saw polygamy simply as a way to join families together for eternity. To fulfill their instruction, some members of the Twelve left Quincy on April 18, 1839, to travel secretly to Far West. In honor of the 175th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, LDS Living is sharing a series of articles about early Church history and some of its key figures. Because of his position in the Illinois militia, he was often referred to as "Major" Bidamon. Whatever the situation, Emma eventually found herself unable to cope with polygamy. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. "On three of these moves she had to leave behind most or all of her furniture. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Delewski also explored the effect the practice of plural marriage had on Emma and Joseph Smith's relationship. She is known in Church history for being well educated and was able to act as a scribe for Joseph when he was translating the plates because of it. Emma died in Nauvoo on April 30, 1879, at age 75. She, in turn, was instructed by Joseph to officiate in these ordinances for the women, which she did until shortly before his martyrdom. The leather binding, the marbled inside cover, and the worn pages are beautiful and unforgettable. 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. Later, while reading the book History of the Prophet Joseph Smith by His Mother, I found Lucy Mack Smiths tribute to Emma: I have never seen a woman in my life, who would endure every species of fatigue and hardship, from month to month, and from year to year, with that unflinching courage, zeal, and patience, which . . 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. [86] Truman O. Angell Journal, reprinted in Kate B. Carter, comp., Our Pioneer Heritage (Salt Lake City: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1967), 10:199. On October 27, 1838, three days after Missouri and Mormon militias engaged in the Battle of Crooked River, Governor Boggs issued his infamous extermination order. Joseph. Some of Emma's friends, as well as many members of the Smith family, alienated themselves from Young's followers. About sixty individuals in that network restructured their everyday lives in or near Nauvoo and continued to follow Joseph Smith. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. If they choose to remain, we must be content. He had no steady occupation and was involved intensely with religion. 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. Question: Why did Emma Smith and Brigham Young dislike one another? 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. Is there a list anywhere of all the composers who had songs in Emmas 1835 hymnal? The Butler and Smoot families. Though there probably was an argument, the poisoning accusation was unfounded. Aroet Hale said a Mr. Stilson employed his father. Emma had 11 children (two were the adopted Murdock twins), and six children died in infancy. 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. Alpheus Cutler placed it in position. We put our goods into the wagon a second time, but the wagon was wanted for Emma and her family, so our goods were again taken out.[48] Stephen Markham, a member of the Committee of Removal, helped Emma Smith leave on February 7. Hope this helps! Why? https://www.lds.org/music/index/hymns/title-tune-meter?lang=eng&_r=1. This remarkable event is free, but space is limited. She is known in Church history for being well educated and was able to act as a scribe for Joseph when he was translating the plates because of it. An old man who was sympathetic to the needy Saints hired John to teach his children and grandchildren and neighbors children. [87] Hartley, My Best for the Kingdom, 9192. Joseph quickly shut the door when he heard Emma coming, but Emma kept knocking and called out Eliza's . Those coming from outside Far West suffered because as John Greene wrote, we have been robbed of our corn, wheat, horses, cattle, cows, hogs, wearing apparel, houses and homes, and indeed, of all that renders life tolerable.[19] On November 9 the Missouri Republican Daily reported that the Saints situation was a case of great difficulty because they are generally poor and facing starvation. [44] Ebenezer Robinson, Items of Personal History of the Editor, Including Some items of Church History Not Generally Known. Throughout the years, she has remained a complex topic for both Mormons and non-Mormons. She moved from Pennsylvania to New York to Ohio to Missouri and then Illinois. [101] Cited in Baugh, We Took Our Change of Venue, 52. By October 1839, King Follett had his trial, and because the charges of robbery were unsubstantiated, he was set free. Your email address will not be published. The large body of displaced Saints became an economic force and political presence in Illinois and Iowa Territory. 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. Mormon regard for Quincy. 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. Delewski thinks she may have been the most promising of the Hale children because she had a rare additional year of schooling. The next day, Richards wrote that Joseph was "busy with domestic concerns." In History of the Church Vol. During this time, their relationship improved and Joseph may have agreed to stop taking on additional wives. Joseph Smith. We all use history to suit our purposes, and Emma simply did not suit the purposes of the LDS Church in the years following her husbands death. Brigham interpreted Emma's refusal to answer as an admission of guilt.. Then three hundred militiamen escorted them away to face trial and prison. Dirty smoking school of prophets. He went to the room where the Committee of Removal was meeting and told them to wind up affairs and be off to save their lives. [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. [104] Donna Toland Smart, Exemplary Elder: The Life and Missionary Diaries of Perrigrine Sessions, 18141893 (Provo, UT: BYU Studies and Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History, 2002), 43. [91] Porter, Brigham Young and the Twelve, 137. By Scott D. Pierce. Understanding how early Saints worked earnestly to build up the Church helps us better appreciate the value of their work. Under these conditions, one could reasonably conclude that she did not travel west in order to avoid losing any more of her children. She taught school before she met Joseph Smith. . A few days later, Martha gave birth to a son she named after the Prophet. The last words out of Emmas mouth when she died were Joseph. He instructed them to have the women pray about the request. 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. the Gospel Doctrine manual for church history. This website is not owned by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). [94], In the dark the group reached Tenneys Grove and there added to their group the last company of the poor needing help to reach Quincy. And the last words out of Brighams mouth, and he died before Emma, were Joseph,' Elggren said. [69] Kenney, ed., Wilford Woodruffs Journal, 1:322. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992. 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. He told her of the time she undertook to poison him, and he told her that she was a child of hell, and literally the most wicked woman on this earth, that there was not one more wicked than she. She even owned cows and other items, possibly given as payment from students. The biography Linda and Valeen published with Doubleday several years later was not so guarded, detailing Josephs many polygamous alliances, his repeated lies to Emma about those marriages, and her conflicts with his plural wivesincluding a much-debated stair-pushing catfight with Eliza R. Snow. A woman should give her greatest priority to her home: her husband, her family, and the opportunity to child-bearing. The animosity between Brigham Young and Emma had multiple grounds: personal, religious, and financial, 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, Brigham and Emma did not agree on the disposition of Joseph's estate. [32] Committee of Removal members were William Huntington, Charles Bird, Alanson Ripley, Theodore Turley, Daniel Shearer, Shadrach Roundy, and Jonathan H. Hale.