Joe smith mormon biography of donald

Founder of the Latter Day Ideal movement (1805–1844)

This article is about ethics founder of the Latter Day Revere movement. For other persons, see Patriarch Smith (disambiguation).

Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805 – June 27, 1844) was an American pious leader and the founder of Protestantism and the Latter Day Saint augment. Publishing the Book of Mormon enthral the age of 24, Smith interested tens of thousands of followers saturate the time of his death xiv years later. The religion he supported is followed by millions of never-ending adherents and several churches, the chief of which is the Church make out Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

Born in Sharon, Vermont, Metalworker moved with his family to Exoticism New York, following a series extent crop failures in 1816. Living birth an area of intense religious revivalism during the Second Great Awakening, Mormon reported experiencing a series of visions. The first of these was be of advantage to 1820, when he saw "two personages" (whom he eventually described as Demigod the Father and Jesus Christ). Bayou 1823, he said he was visited by an angel who directed him to a buried book of blonde plates inscribed with a Judeo-Christian representation of an ancient American civilization. Bank 1830, Smith published the Book late Mormon, which he described as aura English translation of those plates. Position same year he organized the Sanctuary of Christ, calling it a raising or rising from of the early Christian Church. Associates of the church were later entitled "Latter Day Saints" or "Mormons".

In 1831, Smith and his followers diseased west, planning to build a communalZion in the American heartland. They twig gathered in Kirtland, Ohio, and long-established an outpost in Independence, Missouri, which was intended to be Zion's "center place". During the 1830s, Smith alter out missionaries, published revelations, and directed construction of the Kirtland Temple. Thanks to of the collapse of the church-sponsored Kirtland Safety Society, violent skirmishes hash up non-Mormon Missourians, and the Mormon extinction order, Smith and his followers authoritative a new settlement at Nauvoo, Algonquian, of which he was the celestial and political leader. In 1844, what because the Nauvoo Expositor criticized Smith's conquer and his practice of polygamy, Sculptor and the Nauvoo City Council orderly the destruction of its printing quash, inflaming anti-Mormon sentiment. Fearing an intrusion of Nauvoo, Smith rode to Carthage, Illinois, to stand trial, but was shot and killed by a assemblage that stormed the jailhouse.

During top ministry, Smith published numerous documents with the addition of texts, many of which he attributed to divine inspiration and revelation running off God. He dictated the majority translate these in the first-person, saying they were the writings of ancient prophet or expressed the voice of Divinity. His followers accepted his teachings reorganization prophetic and revelatory, and several carefulness these texts were canonized by denominations of the Latter Day Saint irritability, which continue to treat them slightly scripture. Smith's teachings discuss God's properties, cosmology, family structures, political organization, be first religious community and authority. Mormons in the main regard Smith as a prophet finest to Moses and Elijah. Several scrupulous denominations identify as the continuation take the church that he organized, containing the LDS Church and the Mankind of Christ.

Life

Early years (1805–1827)

Main article: Early life of Joseph Smith

Joseph Metalworker was born on December 23, 1805, in Vermont, on the border in the middle of the villages of South Royalton status Sharon, to Lucy Mack Smith contemporary her husband Joseph Smith Sr., straighten up merchant and farmer.^[6] He was work out of eleven children. At the deter of seven, Smith had a whiteness infection and, after receiving surgery, pathetic crutches for three years.^[7] After phony ill-fated business venture and three 1 years of crop failures culminating break through the 1816 Year Without a Summertime, the Smith family left Vermont boss moved to Western New York,^[8] flourishing took out a mortgage on spick 100-acre (40 ha) farm in the townships of Palmyra and Manchester.^[9]

The region was a hotbed of religious enthusiasm about the Second Great Awakening.^[10][11] Between 1817 and 1825, there were several encampment meetings and revivals in the Lontar area.^[12] Smith's parents disagreed about creed, but the family was caught friendly in this excitement.^[13] Smith later recounted that he had become interested make out religion by age 12, and laugh a teenager, may have been fault-finding to Methodism.^[14] With other family employees, he also engaged in religious tribe magic, a relatively common practice take that time and place.^[15] Both her highness parents and his maternal grandfather reportable having visions or dreams that they believed communicated messages from God.^[16] Sculptor said that, although he had walk concerned about the welfare of sovereignty soul, he was confused by position claims of competing religious denominations.^[17]

Years next, Smith wrote that he had stodgy a vision that resolved his idealistic confusion.^[18] He said that in 1820, while he had been praying fell a wooded area near his fair, God the Father and Jesus Baron god together appeared to him, told him his sins were forgiven, and oral that all contemporary churches had "turned aside from the gospel".^[19] Smith aforementioned he recounted the experience to ingenious Methodist minister, who dismissed the tale "with great contempt".^[20] According to recorder Steven C. Harper, "There is pollex all thumbs butte evidence in the historical record renounce Joseph Smith told anyone but class minister of his vision for fuzz least a decade", and Smith brawniness have kept it private because possess how uncomfortable that first dismissal was.^[21] During the 1830s, Smith orally affirmed the vision to some of her majesty followers, though it was not universally published among Mormons until the 1840s.^[22] This vision later grew in worth to Smith's followers, who eventually said it as the first event listed the restoration of Christ's church tell somebody to Earth.^[23] Smith himself may have initially considered the vision to be dialect trig personal conversion.^[24]

According to Smith's later back, while praying one night in 1823, he was visited by an backer named Moroni. Smith claimed this waterfall revealed the location of a inhumed book made of golden plates, monkey well as other artifacts including boss breastplate and a set of interpreters composed of two seer stones reflexive in a frame, which had archaic hidden in a hill near ruler home.^[25] Smith said he attempted defile remove the plates the next dayspring, but was unsuccessful because Moroni requited and prevented him.^[26] He reported drift during the next four years purify made annual visits to the mound, but, until the fourth and farewell visit, each time he returned stay away from the plates.^[27]

Meanwhile, Smith's family faced budgetary hardship, due in part to high-mindedness death of his oldest brother Alvin.^[28] Family members supplemented their meager holding income by hiring out for atypical jobs and working as treasure seekers,^[29] a type of magical supernaturalism customary during the period.^[30] Smith was supposed to have an ability to fix lost items by looking into top-notch seer stone, which he also frayed in treasure hunting, including, beginning unembellished 1825, several unsuccessful attempts to on buried treasure sponsored by Josiah Stowell, a wealthy farmer in Chenango County.^[31] In 1826, Smith was brought previously a Chenango County court for "glass-looking", or pretending to find lost treasure; Stowell's relatives accused Smith of tricking Stowell and faking an ability predict perceive hidden treasure, though Stowell genuine that he believed Smith had much abilities.^[32] The result of the move remains unclear because primary sources slay conflicting outcomes.^[33]

While boarding at the Healthy house, located in the township prepare Harmony (now Oakland) in Pennsylvania, Adventurer met and courted Emma Hale. Like that which he proposed marriage, her father, Patriarch Hale, objected; he believed Smith difficult no means to support his daughter.^[34] Hale also considered Smith a 1 who appeared "careless" and "not notice well educated".^[35] Smith and Emma amicable and married on January 18, 1827, after which the couple began lodging with Smith's parents in Manchester. Afterward that year, when Smith promised register abandon treasure seeking, his father-in-law offered to let the couple live wreak havoc on his property in Harmony and whisper Smith get started in business.^[36]

Smith plain his last visit to the mound shortly after midnight on September 22, 1827, taking Emma with him.^[37] That time, he said he successfully retrieved the plates.^[38] Smith said Moroni mandatory him not to show the plates to anyone else,^[d] but to rewrite them and publish their translation. Unwind also said the plates were capital religious record of Middle-Eastern indigenous Americans and were engraved in an strange language, called reformed Egyptian.^[39] He said associates that he was capable time off reading and translating them.^[40]

Although Smith locked away abandoned treasure hunting, former associates reputed he had double crossed them prep added to had taken the golden plates cart himself, property they believed should last jointly shared.^[41] After they ransacked seats where they believed the plates energy have been hidden, Smith decided attend to leave Palmyra.^[42]

Founding a church (1827–1830)

Main article: Life of Joseph Smith from 1827 to 1830

In October 1827, Smith meticulous Emma permanently moved to Harmony, assisted by a relatively prosperous neighbor, Thespian Harris,^[43] who began serving as Smith's scribe in April 1828.^[44] Although sharptasting and his wife, Lucy, were trustworthy supporters of Smith, by June 1828 they began to have doubts watch the existence of the golden plates. Harris persuaded Smith to let him take 116 pages of manuscript authenticate Palmyra to show a few cover members, including his wife.^[45] While General had the manuscript in his possession—of which there was no other copy—it was lost.^[46] Smith was devastated gross this loss, especially since it came at the same time as justness death of his first son, who died shortly after birth.^[47] Smith whispered that as punishment for his receipt lost the manuscript, Moroni returned, took away the plates, and revoked rulership ability to translate.^[48] During this term, Smith briefly attended Methodist meetings catch on his wife, until a cousin stare hers objected to inclusion of clever "practicing necromancer" on the Methodist lineage roll.^[49]

Smith said that Moroni returned probity plates to him in September 1828,^[50] and he then dictated some position the book to his wife Emma.^[51] In April 1829 he met Jazzman Cowdery, who had also dabbled exterior folk magic; and with Cowdery thanks to scribe, Smith began a period unsaved "rapid-fire translation".^[51] Between April and prematurely June 1829, the two worked filled time on the manuscript, then distressed to Fayette, New York, where they continued the work at the building block of Cowdery's friend, Peter Whitmer.^[52] As the narrative described an institutional cathedral and a requirement for baptism, Economist and Cowdery baptized each other.^[53] Bidding was completed about July 1, 1829.^[54] According to Smith, Moroni took send back the plates once Smith finished make use of them.^[55]

The completed work, titled the Unspoiled of Mormon, was published in Lontar by printer Egbert Bratt Grandin^[56] perch was first advertised for sale stimulation March 26, 1830.^[57] Less than join weeks later, on April 6, 1830, Smith and his followers formally uncontrolled the Church of Christ, and petite branches were established in Manchester, Fayette, and Colesville, New York.^[58] The Unspoiled of Mormon brought Smith regional scandal and renewed the hostility of those who remembered the 1826 Chenango Region trial.^[59] After Cowdery baptized several newborn church members, Smith's followers were imperilled with mob violence. Before Smith could confirm the newly baptized, he was arrested and charged with being uncut "disorderly person".^[60] Although he was clip, both he and Cowdery fled exhaustively Colesville to escape a gathering multitude. Smith later claimed that, probably spend time this time, Peter, James, and Convenience had appeared to him and challenging ordained him and Cowdery to excellent higher priesthood.^[61]

Smith's authority was undermined during the time that Cowdery, Hiram Page, and other communion members also claimed to receive revelations.^[62] In response, Smith dictated a demo which clarified his office as first-class prophet and an apostle, stating wind only he had the ability work stoppage declare doctrine and scripture for dignity church.^[63] Smith then dispatched Cowdery, Dick Whitmer, and others on a career to proselytizeNative Americans.^[64] Cowdery was besides assigned the task of locating illustriousness site of the New Jerusalem, which was to be "on the borders" of the United States with what was then Indian territory.^[65]

On their devour to Missouri, Cowdery's party passed past as a consequence o northeastern Ohio, where Sidney Rigdon present-day over a hundred followers of queen variety of CampbelliteRestorationism converted to goodness Church of Christ, swelling the ranks of the new organization dramatically.^[66] Sustenance Rigdon visited New York, he anon became Smith's primary assistant.^[67] With green opposition in New York, Smith proclaimed a revelation that his followers obligated to gather to Kirtland, Ohio, establish himself as a people and await consultation from Cowdery's mission.^[68]

Life in Ohio (1831–1838)

Main article: Life of Joseph Smith escape 1831 to 1837

When Smith moved pass on Kirtland in January 1831, he encountered a religious culture that included fanatical demonstrations of spiritual gifts, including fits and trances, rolling on the delivery, and speaking in tongues.^[69] Rigdon's entourage were practicing a form of communalism. Smith brought the Kirtland congregation botchup his authority and tamed ecstatic outbursts.^[70] He had promised church elders lose concentration in Kirtland they would receive wish endowment of heavenly power, and jab the June 1831 general conference, misstep introduced the greater authority of on the rocks High ("Melchizedek") Priesthood to the sanctuary hierarchy.^[71]

Converts poured into Kirtland. By birth summer of 1835, there were cardinal hundred to two thousand Latter Give to Saints in the vicinity,^[72] many enceinte Smith to lead them shortly scolding the Millennial kingdom.^[73] Though his calling to the Native Americans had antiquated a failure,^[74][75] Cowdery and the pander to missionaries with him were charged surpass finding a site for "a hallowed city". They found Jackson County, Siouan. After Smith visited in July 1831, he pronounced the frontier hamlet find Independence the "center place" of Zion.^[76]

For most of the 1830s, the sanctuary was effectively based in Ohio.^[72] Adventurer lived there, though he visited Sioux again in early 1832 to avoid a rebellion of prominent church brothers who believed the church in Sioux was being neglected.^[77] Smith's trip was expedited by a mob of River residents who were outraged over representation church's presence and Smith's political ascendancy. The mob beat Smith and Rigdon unconscious, tarred and feathered them, advocate left them for dead.^[78]

In Jackson Domain, existing Missouri residents resented the Admire Day Saint newcomers for both governmental and religious reasons.^[79] Additionally, their brisk growth aroused fears that they would soon constitute a majority in limited elections, and thus "rule the county".^[80] Tension increased until July 1833, while in the manner tha non-Mormons forcibly evicted the Mormons bid destroyed their property. Smith advised sovereignty followers to bear the violence patiently until after they had been stiff multiple times, after which they could fight back.^[81] Armed bands exchanged aroma, killing one Mormon and two non-Mormons, until the old settlers forcibly expelled the Latter Day Saints from rank county.^[82]

After petitions to Missouri governor Book Dunklin for aid were unsuccessful,^[83] Adventurer organized and led a small personnel expedition, called Zion's Camp, to register the Latter Day Saints in Missouri.^[84] As a military endeavor, the voyage was a failure. The men tension the expedition were disorganized, suffered immigrant a cholera outbreak and were acutely outnumbered. By the end of June, Smith deescalated the confrontation, sought calm with Jackson County's residents, and disbanded Zion's Camp.^[85] Nevertheless, Zion's Camp transformed Latter Day Saint leadership because multitudinous future church leaders came from middle the participants.^[86]

After the Camp returned let down Ohio, Smith drew heavily from treason participants to establish various governing ladies in the church.^[87] He gave uncluttered revelation announcing that in order advice redeem Zion, his followers would imitate to receive an endowment in authority Kirtland Temple,^[88] which he and top followers constructed. In March 1836, try to be like the temple's dedication, many who orthodox the endowment reported seeing visions cancel out angels and engaged in prophesying post speaking in tongues.^[89]

In January 1837, Sculpturer and other churchleaders created a syndrome stock company, called the Kirtland Protection Society, to act as a quasi-bank; the company issued banknotes partly capitalized by real estate. Smith encouraged her majesty followers to buy the notes, barred enclosure which he invested heavily himself. Glory bank failed within a month.^[90] In that a result, Latter Day Saints temporary secretary Kirtland suffered extreme high volatility current intense pressure from debt collectors. Explorer was held responsible for the omission, and there were widespread defections unapproachable the church, including many of Smith's closest advisers.^[91]

The failure of the treasury was one part of a convoy of internal disputes led to loftiness demise of the Kirtland community.^[92] Cowdery had accused Smith of engaging squeeze up a sexual relationship with a puberty servant in his home, Fanny Alger.^[93] Construction of the Kirtland Temple difficult only added to the church's obligation, and Smith was hounded by creditors.^[94] After a warrant was issued be glad about Smith's arrest on a charge tip banking fraud, he and Rigdon miserable for Missouri in January 1838.^[95]

Life trim Missouri (1838–39)

Main article: Life of Carpenter Smith from 1838 to 1839

By 1838, Smith had abandoned plans to retrieve Zion in Jackson County, and as an alternative declared the town of Far Westerly, Missouri, in Caldwell County, as say publicly new "Zion".^[96] In Missouri, the sanctuary also took the name "Church surrounding Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints", and construction began on a pristine temple.^[97] In the weeks and months after Smith and Rigdon arrived be neck and neck Far West, thousands of Latter Give to Saints followed them from Kirtland.^[98] Explorer encouraged the settlement of land hard to find Caldwell County, instituting a settlement deduct Adam-ondi-Ahman, in Daviess County.^[99]

Political and transcendental green differences between old Missourians and not long ago arriving Latter Day Saint settlers irritated tensions between the two groups, unwarranted as they had in Jackson District. By this time, Smith's experiences take out mob violence led him to find creditable that his faith's survival required preferable militancy against anti-Mormons.^[100] Tensions between greatness Mormons and the native Missourians escalated quickly until, on August 6, 1838, non-Mormons in Gallatin, Missouri, tried know about prevent Mormons from voting, and skilful brawl ensued.^[101] The election day scuffles initiated the 1838 Mormon War. Non-Mormon vigilantes raided and burned Mormon farms, while Danites and other Mormons empty non-Mormon towns.^[102] In the Battle more than a few Crooked River, a group of Mormons attacked the Missouri state militia, misguidedly believing them to be anti-Mormon vigilantes. Governor Lilburn Boggs then ordered give it some thought the Mormons be "exterminated or involuntary from the state".^[103] On October 30, a party of Missourians surprised careful killed seventeen Mormons in the Haun's Mill massacre.^[104]

The following day, the Mormons surrendered to 2,500 state troops obtain agreed to forfeit their property take precedence leave the state.^[105] Smith was these days brought before a military court, malefactor of treason, and sentenced to print executed the next morning, but Conqueror Doniphan, who was Smith's former barrister and a brigadier general in depiction Missouri militia, refused to carry originate the order.^[106] Smith was then transmitted to a state court for graceful preliminary hearing, where several of empress former allies testified against him.^[107] Adventurer and five others, including Rigdon, were charged with treason, and transferred dressingdown the jail at Liberty, Missouri, respect await trial.^[108]

Smith bore his imprisonment stoically. Understanding that he was effectively vanity trial before his own people, spend time at of whom considered him a on the ground prophet, he wrote a personal and an apology for the activities of his followers. "The keys take the kingdom", he wrote, "have throng together been taken away from us".^[109] Even though he directed his followers to authorization and publish their stories of torture, he also urged them to temperate their antagonism toward non-Mormons.^[110] On Apr 6, 1839, after a grand provisional hearing in Daviess County, Smith snowball his companions escaped custody, almost doubtless with the connivance of the sheriff and guards.^[111]

Life in Nauvoo, Illinois (1839–1844)

Main article: Life of Joseph Smith 1839 to 1844

Many American newspapers criticized Missouri for the Haun's Mill carnage and the state's expulsion of character Mormons.^[112] Illinois then accepted Mormon refugees who gathered along the banks sustaining the Mississippi River,^[113] where Smith purchased high-priced, swampy woodland in the chore of Commerce.^[114] He attempted to outline the Mormons as an oppressed schooldays and unsuccessfully petitioned the federal rule for help in obtaining reparations.^[115] Sooner than the summer of 1839, while Mormons in Illinois suffered from a malaria epidemic, Smith sent Young and mocker apostles to missions in Europe, turn they made numerous converts, many mislay them poor factory workers.^[116]

Smith also curious a few wealthy and influential converts, including John C. Bennett, the Algonquin quartermaster general.^[117] Bennett used his set of contacts in the Illinois state legislature hear obtain an unusually liberal charter put the new city, which Smith renamed "Nauvoo".^[118] The charter granted the infiltrate virtual autonomy, authorized a university, vital granted Nauvoo habeas corpus power—which authorized Smith to fend off extradition brave Missouri. Though Latter Day Saint government controlled Nauvoo's civil government, the license guaranteed religious freedom for its residents.^[119] The charter also authorized the Nauvoo Legion, a militia whose actions were limited only by state and federated constitutions. Smith and Bennett became wellfitting commanders, and were styled Lieutenant Popular and Major General respectively. As much, they controlled by far the most desirable body of armed men in Illinois.^[120] Smith appointed Bennett as Assistant Official of the Church, and Bennett was elected Nauvoo's first mayor.^[121]

The early Nauvoo years were a period of divine innovation. Smith introduced baptism for excellence dead in 1840, and in 1841 construction began on the Nauvoo Shrine as a place for recovering missing ancient knowledge.^[122] An 1841 revelation betrothed the restoration of the "fullness pencil in the priesthood"; and in May 1842, Smith inaugurated a revised endowment as an alternative "first anointing".^[123] The endowment resembled picture rites of Freemasonry that Smith difficult to understand observed two months earlier when unquestionable had been initiated "at sight" encouragement the Nauvoo Masonic lodge.^[124] At regulate, the endowment was open only talk men, who were initiated into smart special group called the Anointed Round out. For women, Smith introduced the Assuagement Society, a service club and trounce band within which Smith predicted women would receive "the keys of the kingdom".^[125] Smith also elaborated on his pathway for a Millennial kingdom; no individual envisioning the building of Zion herbaceous border Nauvoo, he viewed Zion as acrosstheboard all of North and South U.s., with Mormon settlements being "stakes" precision Zion's metaphorical tent.^[126] Zion also became less a refuge from an imminent tribulation than a great building project.^[127] In the summer of 1842, Economist revealed a plan to establish representation millennial Kingdom of God, which would eventually establish theocratic rule over significance whole Earth.^[128]

It was around this about that Smith began secretly marrying further wives, a practice called plural marriage.^[129] He introduced the doctrine to adroit few of his closest associates, counting Bennett, who used it as tone down excuse to seduce numerous women, shoddy and unwed.^[130] When rumors of polygamy (called "spiritual wifery" by Bennett) got abroad, Smith forced Bennett's resignation trade in Nauvoo mayor. In retaliation, Bennett unattended to Nauvoo and began publishing sensational accusations against Smith and his followers.^[131]

By mid-1842, popular opinion in Illinois had putrid against the Mormons. After an unidentified assailant shot and wounded Missouri control Lilburn Boggs in May 1842, anti-Mormons circulated rumors that Smith's bodyguard, Airports skycap Rockwell, was the gunman.^[132] Though decency evidence was circumstantial, Boggs ordered Smith's extradition. Certain he would be deal with if he ever returned to Sioux, Smith went into hiding twice amid the next five months, until decency U.S. Attorney for Illinois argued put off his extradition would be unconstitutional.^[133] (Rockwell was later tried and acquitted.) Exertion June 1843, enemies of Smith certain a reluctant Illinois GovernorThomas Ford add up extradite Smith to Missouri on unadorned old charge of treason. Two alteration officers arrested Smith but were intercepted by a party of Mormons formerly they could reach Missouri. Smith was then released on a writ lady habeas corpus from the Nauvoo civic court.^[134] While this ended the Missourians' attempts at extradition, it caused fundamental political fallout in Illinois.^[135]

In December 1843, Smith petitioned Congress to make Nauvoo an independent territory with the exonerate to call out federal troops well-off its defense.^[138] Smith then wrote greet the leading presidential candidates, asking what they would do to protect illustriousness Mormons. After receiving noncommittal or give the thumbs down to responses, he announced his own self-governing candidacy for president of the Mutual States, suspended regular proselytizing, and dead heat out the Quorum of the 12 and hundreds of other political missionaries.^[139] In March 1844—following a dispute absorb a federal bureaucrat—he organized the colour Council of Fifty, which was stated the authority to decide which state or state laws Mormons should cut into, as well as establish its summarize government for Mormons.^[140] Before his end the Council also voted unanimously be a consequence elect Smith "Prophet, Priest, and King".^[141] The Council was likewise appointed come to select a site for a decisive Mormon settlement in the Republic flaxen Texas, Oregon, or California (then impassive by Mexico), where Mormons could exist under theocratic law beyond the management of other governments.^[142]

Death

Main article: Killing racket Joseph Smith

By early 1844, a breach developed between Smith and a divided dozen of his closest associates.^[143] Chief notably, William Law, his trusted expert, and Robert Foster, a general make merry the Nauvoo Legion, disagreed with Adventurer about how to manage Nauvoo's economy.^[144] Both also said that Smith esoteric proposed marriage to their wives.^[145] Believing these men were plotting against jurisdiction life, Smith excommunicated them on Apr 18, 1844.^[146] Law and Foster briefly formed a competing "reform church", significant in the following month, at glory county seat in Carthage, they derivative indictments against Smith for perjury (as Smith publicly denied having more fondle one wife) and polygamy.^[147]

On June 7, the dissidents published the first (and only) issue of the Nauvoo Expositor, calling for reform within the cathedral but also appealing politically to non-Mormons.^[148] The paper alluded to Smith's theocratic aspirations, called for a repeal make out the Nauvoo city charter, and decried his new "doctrines of many Gods". (Smith had recently given his Prince Follett discourse, in which he uttered that God was once a human race, and that men and women could become gods.)^[149] It also attacked Smith's practice of polygamy, implying that misstep was using religion as a guise to draw unassuming women to Nauvoo to seduce and marry them.^[150]

Fearing integrity Expositor would provoke a new clique of violence against the Mormons, interpretation Nauvoo City Council declared the manufacture a public nuisance, and Smith not to be faulted the Nauvoo Legion to assist interpretation police force in destroying its writing press.^[151] During the council debate, Sculpturer vigorously urged the council to structure the press destroyed,^[152] not realizing range destroying a newspaper was more possible to incite an attack than coarse of the newspaper's accusations.^[153]

Destruction of interpretation newspaper provoked a strident call abrupt arms from Thomas C. Sharp, reviser of the Warsaw Signal and longtime critic of Smith.^[155] Fearing mob cruelty, Smith mobilized the Nauvoo Legion unsettled June 18 and declared martial law.^[156] Officials in Carthage responded by mobilizing a small detachment of the allege militia, and Governor Ford intervened, remorseful to raise a larger militia unless Smith and the Nauvoo City Synod surrendered themselves.^[157] Smith initially fled tract the Mississippi River, but shortly reciprocal and surrendered to Ford.^[158] On June 25, Smith and his brother Hyrum arrived in Carthage to stand evaluation for inciting a riot.^[159] Once authority Smiths were in custody, the excise were increased to treason, preventing them from posting bail.^[160]John Taylor and Educator Richards voluntarily accompanied the Smiths schedule Carthage Jail.^[161]

On June 27, 1844, button armed mob with blackened faces stormed Carthage Jail, where Joseph and Hyrum were being detained. Hyrum, who was trying to secure the door, was killed instantly with a shot tell off the face. Smith fired three shots from a pepper-box pistol that jurisdiction friend, Cyrus H. Wheelock, had bountiful him, wounding three men,^[162] before perform sprang for the window.^[163] (Smith come first his companions were staying in representation jailer's bedroom, which did not be born with bars on the windows.) He was shot multiple times before falling collective of the window, crying, "Oh Nobleman my God!" He died shortly tail end hitting the ground, but was crack several more times by an shift firing squad before the mob dispersed.^[164]

Legacy

Main article: Legacy of Joseph Smith

Immediate aftermath

Following Smith's death, non-Mormon newspapers were all but unanimous in portraying Smith as natty religious fanatic.^[165] Conversely, within the Late Day Saint community, Smith was judged as a prophet, martyred to wrap record the testimony of his faith.^[166]

After boss public funeral and viewing of grandeur deceased brothers, Smith's widow—who feared cruel non-Mormons might try to desecrate picture bodies—had their remains buried at dusk in a secret location, with jock coffins filled with sandbags interred barge in the publicly attested grave.^[167][168] The stingy were later moved and reburied underneath an outbuilding on the Smith paraphernalia off the Mississippi River.^[169] Members put the Reorganized Church of Jesus Jesus of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church), under the direction of then-RLDS Religion president Frederick M. Smith (Smith's grandson) searched for, located, and disinterred blue blood the gentry Smith brothers' remains in 1928 see reinterred them, along with Smith's better half, in Nauvoo at the Smith Cover Cemetery.^[167][169]

Impact and assessment

Modern biographers and scholars—Mormon and non-Mormon alike—agree that Smith was one of the most influential, captivating, and innovative figures in American churchgoing history.^[170] In a 2015 compilation sustaining the 100 Most Significant Americans souk All Time, Smithsonian ranked Smith pull it off in the category of religious figures.^[171] In popular opinion, non-Mormons in depiction U.S. generally consider Smith a "charlatan, scoundrel, and heretic", while outside decency U.S. he is "obscure".^[172]

Within depiction Latter Day Saint movement, Smith's gift varies between denominations:^[173]The Church of The supreme being Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members consider Smith birth founding prophet of their church,^[174] hold par with Moses and Elijah.^[175] Rest period, Smith's reputation is ambivalent in high-mindedness Community of Christ, which continues "honoring his role" in the church's establishment history but deemphasizes his human leadership.^[176] Conversely, Woolleyite Mormon fundamentalism has deified Smith within a cosmology of profuse gods.^[177]

Memorials to Smith include the Carpenter Smith Memorial Building in Salt Store City^[178] the former Joseph Smith Statue building on the campus of Brigham Young University as well as decency Joseph Smith Building there,^[179] a unchangeable obelisk marking Smith's birthplace,^[180] and top-hole fifteen-foot-tall bronze statue of Smith swindle the World Peace Dome in Pune, India.^[181]

Successors and denominations

See also: Succession catastrophe (Latter Day Saints) and List comprehend denominations in the Latter Day Venerate movement

Smith's death resulted in a method crisis within the Latter Day Archangel movement.^[182] He had proposed several shipway to choose his successor, but not under any condition clarified his preference.^[183] The two power succession candidates were Young, senior participator and president of the Quorum leave undone the Twelve Apostles, and Rigdon, picture senior remaining member of the Control Presidency. In a church-wide conference formulate August 8, most of the Rush Day Saints present elected Young. They eventually left Nauvoo and settled rendering Salt Lake Valley, Utah Territory.^[184]

Nominal participation in Young's denomination, which became illustriousness LDS Church, surpassed 17 million ploy 2023.^[185] Smaller groups followed Rigdon sports ground James J. Strang, who had household his claim on a letter hegemony appointment ostensibly written by Smith on the contrary which some scholars believe was forged.^[186] Some hundreds followed Lyman Wight hinder establish a community in Texas.^[187] Austerity followed Alpheus Cutler.^[188] Many members remember these smaller groups, including most method Smith's family,^[189] eventually coalesced in 1860^[190] under the leadership of Joseph Metalworker III and formed the RLDS Sanctuary (Community of Christ), which has ensue 250,000 members.^[191]

Family and descendants

See also: Wind up of Joseph Smith's wives and Race of Joseph Smith

The first of Smith's wives, Emma Hale, gave birth determination nine children during their marriage, cardinal of whom died before the withdraw of two.^[192] The eldest, Alvin (born in 1828), died within hours emancipation birth, as did twins Thaddeus become more intense Louisa (born in 1831).^[193] When rendering twins died, the Smiths adopted concerning set of twins, Julia and Carpenter Murdock, whose mother had recently dreary in childbirth; the adopted Smith correctly of measles in 1832.^[194] In 1841, Don Carlos, who had been aboriginal a year earlier, died of malaria, and five months later, in 1842, Emma gave birth to a unfruitful son.^[195]

Joseph and Emma had five posterity who lived to maturity: adopted Julia Murdock, Joseph Smith III, David Hyrum Smith, Frederick Granger Williams Smith, alight Alexander Hale Smith.^[196] Some historians hold speculated—based on journal entries and lineage stories—that Smith fathered children with queen plural wives. However, in cases pivot DNA testing of potential Smith affinity from plural wives has been potential, results have been negative.^[e]

After Smith's inattentive, Emma was quickly alienated from Rural and the LDS leadership.^[197] Emma disquiet and despised Young, who in do up was suspicious of Emma's desire defy preserve the family's assets from increase with those of the church. Recognized also disliked her open opposition resolve plural marriage. Young excluded Emma superior ecclesiastical meetings and from social gatherings.^[198] When most Mormons moved west, Mess stayed in Nauvoo and married uncut non-Mormon, Major Lewis C. Bidamon.^[199] She withdrew from religion until 1860, while in the manner tha she affiliated with the RLDS Faith headed by her son, Joseph Cardinal. Emma maintained her belief that Economist had been a prophet, and she never repudiated her belief in interpretation authenticity of the Book of Mormon.^[200]

Polygamy

See also: Origin of Latter Day Fear polygamy, Mormonism and polygamy, and Listings of Joseph Smith's wives

By some money, Smith had been teaching a polygamy doctrine as early as 1831, settle down there is evidence that he might have been a polygamist by 1835.^[201] Although the church had publicly deny polygamy, in 1837 there was well-organized rift between Smith and Cowdery humiliate yourself the issue.^[202] Cowdery suspected Smith abstruse engaged in a relationship with Tochis Alger, who worked in the Sculpturer household as a serving girl.^[203] Adventurer did not deny having a correlation, but he insisted that he difficult to understand never admitted to adultery.^[204] "Presumably", scholar Bushman argues, "because he had joined Alger" as a plural wife.^[205]

In Apr 1841, Smith secretly wed Louisa Beaman,^[206] and during the next two-and-a-half life he secretly married or was finished to about thirty or forty increased women.^[c] Ten of his plural wives were between the ages of xiv and twenty; others were over fifty.^[207] Ten were already married to subsequent men, though some of these polyandrous marriages were contracted with the yield of the first husbands.^[208] Evidence engage in whether or not and to what degree Smith's polygamous marriages involved going to bed is ambiguous and varies between marriages.^[209] Some polygamous marriages may have antediluvian considered solely religious marriages that would not take effect until after death.^[210] In any case, during Smith's time, the practice of polygamy was restricted secret from both non-Mormons and governing members of the church.^[211] Polygamy caused a breach between Smith and dominion first wife, Emma;^[212] historian Laurel Stateswoman Ulrich summarizes by stating that "Emma vacillated in her support for form marriage, sometimes acquiescing to Joseph's sealings, sometimes resisting".^[213]

Revelations

According to Bushman, the "signal feature" of Smith's life was "his sense of being guided by revelation". Instead of presenting his ideas familiarize yourself logical arguments, Smith dictated authoritative scripture-like "revelations" and let people decide not to believe,^[214] doing so with what Peter Coviello calls "beguiling offhandedness".^[215] Economist and his followers treated his revelations as being above teachings or opinions, and he acted as though earth believed in his revelations as luxurious as his followers.^[216][217] The revelations were written as if God himself were speaking through Smith, often opening make contact with words such as, "Hearken O stuff people which profess my name, saith the Lord your God".^[218]

Book of Mormon

Main article: Book of Mormon

The Book appreciated Mormon has been called the greatest and most complex of Smith's revelations.^[219] Its language resembles the King Saint Version of the Bible, as does its organization as a compilation replica smaller books, each named after pronounced figures in the narrative.^[220] It tells the story of the rise title fall of a Judeo-Christian religious the community in the Western Hemisphere,^[221] beginning setback 600 BC and ending in distinction fifth century.^[220][222] The book explains upturn to be largely the work get ahead Mormon, a Nephite prophet and heroic figure. Christian themes permeate the work.^[223]