Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith, Jr. (December 23, 1804 - June 27, 1844) founded The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is believed by the members of the Church, Latter-day Saints or Mormons, to be the translator of The Book of Mormon. In 1844 he was also the first U.S. Presidential candidate assassinated during a campaign.

The devout Mormon belief is that Smith was chosen by God as a "Prophet, Seer and Revelator" in the "latter days", and to restore Christ's church to a world that had fallen away in apostasy. Critics regarded him and the religion he started with contempt and often with violence. Smith and his legacy continue to evoke strong emotion. His life and works are subject to considerable ongoing debate and research. Some Mormons consider negative criticism as verification of prophecies that Smith's name and reputation would be subject to both praise and scorn.

Early life

Smith was born in Sharon, Vermont, to Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith. The Smiths suffered considerable financial problems and moved several times in search of better prosperity.

In 1820 not long after the family moved to Palmyra, New York from Vermont, Smith claimed that he was visited by God, Jesus Christ and several angels at the age of fourteen. There are a number of records depicting Smith's claims, most of which were made second hand. Given that Smith felt that much of the experience was personal, he did not record it until 1831 or 1832, and detailed accounts were only published about a decade later. Critics claim that the various records are inconsistent. They suggest that Smith's earliest recitals of his experience claim only that an angel visited him, rather than God and Jesus Christ, and that Joseph changed his story over time.

For more details, see First Vision.

After this First Vision, Smith claimed he was later visited in 1824 by an angel, Moroni, and instructed to translate an ancient record from gold plates. These plates, he said, contained a record of ancient inhabitants of the American continent.

Founder of a Religion

''The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ was published early in 1830. Smith claimed he translated the book from "Reformed Egyptian" characters carved on gold plates. On April 6th of that year, he and five of his associates incorporated "The Church of Christ" under New York state laws. (This religion was later called the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.) Smith and others immediately began proselytizing for new members.

Ohio

To avoid religious persecution encountered in New York and Pennsylvania, Smith and his wife, Emma, eventually removed to Kirtland, Ohio early in 1831. They lived with Isacc Morley's family while a house was built for them on the Morley farm. Church members gathered in Kirtland and Jackson County, Missouri. While in Kirtland, church members built their first temple there. According to its history, church members experienced a number of extraordinary events attendant to the dedication of the temple including: the visitation of Jesus Christ, Moses, Elijah, Elias and numerous angels; speaking and singing in tongues or "divine language" often with translations; heavenly light upon the temple; prophesying; and other spiritual experiences. Some members believed that the Jesus' Millenial reign had come.

The early church grew rapidly, but many non-Mormons felt threatened by the message and actions of the new movement. These conficts were sometimes violent: On the evening of March 24, 1832 in Hiram, Ohio a group of men beat, and tarred and feathered Smith. They threatened Smith with castration and with death, and one of his teeth was chipped when someone attempted to force Smith to drink poison.

This mob action also led to the exposure and eventual death of Smith's adopted newborn twins. Sidney Rigdon, another Church leader at the time, was attacked that night and suffered a severe concussion after being dragged on the ground.

After attending to his wounds all night and into the early morning, Smith preached a sermon the following Sunday morning. A number of the attackers in the congregation, some of whom were embarrased and ashamed for their deeds.

On January 12, 1838 Smith and Rigdon left Kirtland for Clay County, Missouri, in Smith's words, "to escape mob violence, which was about to burst upon us under the color of legal process to cover the hellish designs of our enemies." Just prior to their departure, a large number of Mormons, including prominent Church leaders, became disaffected in the wake of the Kirtland Safety Society debacle. Those who were not cut off from the Church left Kirtland to gather with the other main body of the Church in Missouri.

Missouri

The Missouri period was marked by mob violence and difficulties with the law for both Smith and his followers. Many of the old settlers saw the Mormon settlers as a religious and political threat, especially because Mormons were anti-slavery, unlike most Missourians at the time, and the Mormons tended to vote in blocs. In addition, Mormons purchased vast amounts of land, in which to establish settlements. Soon the old Missourians and new settlers were engaged in numerous skirmishes, culminating in the Battle of Crooked River.

This battle led to exaggerated and false reports of a Mormon insurrection (Were these reports exaggerated or were these reports false? Is more detail needed?). Due to these reports, Missouri governor Lilburn Boggs issued the infamous "Extermination Order," which stated, in part, "The Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the State."

(In1976 Missouri Governor Christopher S. Bond formally apologized for the treatment of Mormons in Missouri and rescinded the "Extermination Order".)

Soon thereafter, a hastily-organized militia attacked several Mormon settlements. In Far West, Smith and several other prominent Church leaders were later taken into custody on charges of treason. Although they were civilians, the militia leader threatened to try Smith and others in a militay tribunal and have them immediately executed. Were it not for the bravery of General Alexander Doniphan of the militia, the murderous plans of General [name] would have likely been carried out. Instead Smith and three of his associates spent several, miserable, winter months in Liberty Jail awaiting trial that never came. Eventually with no legal grounds for trying the captives, their captors allowed them to escape and they fled to join the other members of the church in Illinois on the banks of the Mississippi River. By the spring of 1839, most members of the church had already been driven out of Missouri into Illinois.

The Nauvoo Era

After leaving Missouri in 1839, Smith and his followers made headquarters in a town called Commerce, Illinois, which they soon renamed Nauvoo. Again the Church began to flourish as faithful Mormons built up the city. But again, tensions arose, both within the Church and between the Church and some of its neighbors.

Some sources report that Smith was violently ill on 05 November 1843, and that Smith accused his wife Emma of poisoning him. Some of these reports were hearsay, and others not recorded until many years later.

Smith's Death in Carthage

Eventually, several of Smith's disaffected associates joined together to publish a paper called the Nauvoo Expositor to expose Smith's polygamy. Smith was privately advocating, practicing and inducting others into the practice, although leaders of the Church denied the practice as rumor. See Plural Marriage (Mormonism)

After turning to William Blackstone's legal canon that included a libellous press as a nuisance and some discussion, the Nauvoo City Council passed an ordinance declaring the press a nuisance, designed to promote violence against Smith and the Latter-day Saints. Under the council's new ordinance, Smith as Mayor of Nauvoo and in conjunction with the city council ordered the city marshall to destroy the paper and the press.

The destruction of printing press caused considerable distubance, and Smith called out the Nauvoo Legion and declared martial law. Smith fled Nauvoo into Iowa, intending to depart for the Rocky Mountains and reestablish the church there. However, he returned at the request of Mormons who feared that a militia gathering outside the city would make good on its threats to attack the city if Smith was not delivered into its custody.

Illinois Governor Ford proposed a trial in Carthage, the county seat. Smith agreed and stayed in the Carthage Jail, under the protection of the Govenor. Ford agreed to stay in Carthage, but left after Smith's inprisonment.

Before a trial could be held, a mob of about 200 armed men (some painted as indians) stormed Carthage Jail. Some in the mob were militia members appointed to protect Smith.

Smith attempted to defend himself and his associates with a small pistol, but was shot from behind and in front as he tried to escape through a window in his second story room. All of the mob rushed to where Smith fell, propped his body against a nearby well and shot him several more times before they fled. Smith's brother Hyrum was killed, and Smith's associates, John Taylor and Dr. Willard Richards, were also present. Taylor was seriously wounded but was rescued by Richards.

After Smith's Murder

After Smith's murder several people claimed leadership of the church. These included Sidney Rigdon, Brigham Young, James Strang, and Smith's young son, Joseph Smith III. Most regarded Young as the only legitimate candidate.

About two years after Smith's death in Carthage, Illinois, mob violence continued to grow and threaten the Mormon establishment at Nauvoo. Brigham Young, hoping to find peace for the Latter-day Saints led many Mormons out of the United States and into Utah, which was then Mexican Territory.

This new settlemet was named the "State of Deseret". This was an area in the Rocky Mountains separated from other settlements where Mormons flourished, largely away from persecution and conflict. (See Utah War.) As of 2003 the LDS church claims over 11 million adherents and has achieved world-wide significance.

King Follett Discourse

Two months before his death, Smith delivered a discourse on the nature of God to a Church Conference at the funeral service of Elder King Follett. This address delivered at a peak point in the doctrinal development of Church theology is considered to be one of the most precious expositions on the nature of God given by Smith. See King Follett Discourse.

See Controversies regarding Mormonism for some topics related to Joseph Smith.