Line upon Line

Follow Daniel Peterson on his column on Patheos called “Sic et Non.”

In 1854, to mark the tenth anniversary of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, a portion of the annual April general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was adjourned until 27 June.  That fact, in and of itself, should be enough to indicate the great respect that the Church’s leaders had for the Prophet Joseph.

But it’s worthwhile to review some of what was actually said on that day—especially now that some (and I’m sorry to have to say it) have begun to claim, quite falsely, that Brigham Young and those in the Quorum of the Twelve eagerly sought to replace Joseph in order to further their own selfish interests, and even conspired against him.  One particularly obnoxious suggestion is that Elders John Taylor and Willard Richards personally killed Joseph and Hyrum, on Brigham Young’s orders, before the mob had a chance to carry out its murderous intent.  Curiously, the five men who were tried for (and found not guilty of) the assassination of the Smith brothers—Thomas C. Sharp, Mark Aldrich, William N. Grover, Jacob C. Davis, and Levi Williams—failed to mention in their defense that their targets were already dead when that (presumably surprised and puzzled) mob arrived.  That seems an important point.

But back to the 27 June 1854 session of general conference:  As Brigham Young himself put it, “the object of this adjourned conference” is “bringing to mind, to our remembrance, to realize, and to contemplate what the Lord has done for us in the last days.  He has commenced his work for the gathering of Israel, for the redemption of the seed of Abraham.  He commenced his work at this time as he has also done upon the earth in all ages of the world, in every dispensation that he has brought forth to the children of men for their salvation, by speaking from the heavens himself, sending his angels, his ministers, his apostles, his servants, his Son, the Savior of the world, to communicate to the children of men the system of salvation.”

“I do not understand,” Brigham said, “how the Lord could give a system of salvation and reveal to the children of men concerning his law without speaking to them, sending his messengers, dictating by himself, the Holy Ghost, his Son, or some of his apostles or agents.”  And yet, he declared, “Joseph was killed because the Lord and angels and Jesus had actually spoken to him.”

“It had and has become a crime for the Lord to speak to the children of men,” Brigham told his audience.  “It is treason against any government, even the government of the United States.  It was considered treason, a violation of every law and statute of the union, the states, and the territories for the Lord Almighty to speak to a man on the earth.  It was considered treason, I say,
in this holy land of holy Christians, and for this the Prophet Joseph suffered and died.”

Historians and lawyers might want to argue with Brigham Young as to how precisely accurate his explanation of the motives of Joseph’s killers is, but there can be no doubt of the emotion and conviction with which he spoke, nor of the indignant scorn that he felt for the perpetrators even a decade removed from the martyrdom:

“We have some little proof in this that has been manifested in what is called the courts of justice.  The United States District Court for the State of Missouri passed his decision and judgment in the presence of his lawyers, in the presence of witnesses and the holy court, that if Joseph
did believe the testimony that Daniel had left concerning the kingdom of God on the earth
in (the) last days, there was testimony sufficient against him as to condemn him as a treasoner against the government.  I say he was considered a treasoner because the Lord was pleased to speak to him.”  “Ten years ago this afternoon it will be since he was killed for his treasonable belief and action.”

“What I have got up here for this morning is to testify of Joseph,” Brigham declared.  “I am here now, ready to testify, to acknowledge before this congregation—and they may carry it to the four winds—that I am a disciple of Brother Joseph Smith, the man that the Lord revealed himself to, through whom he brought forth the Book of Mormon, revealed the way of life and salvation, the way to gather Israel, to save Israel, build up Zion, and establish the kingdom of God on the earth in (the) last days.  I am his disciple.”

“I am,” he continued, “an eyewitness that Joseph . . . was an apostle, the prophet of God.  I am a positive witness that Joseph Smith (was) all he professed to be and (a) great deal more in the eyes of heaven.  I am (an) apostle here to testify that Joseph was a true prophet of God, that he brought forth the Book of Mormon by the power of God—by the means of Urim (and) Thummim he translated it—that he gave us the revelations that (are) contained in this book of Doctrine (and) Covenants, that they are true. . . .  Besides many others I am here to testify that Joseph was father to this people, that he did strive with all the powers he had to sanctify this people, (to) send the gospel to the nations (of the) earth to teach them the way of life and salvation, to sanctify those (who) gathered themselves together to build temples (and) administer in ordinances of (the) holy priesthood and (that he) held the keys of it to the people that they
might enter into the celestial kingdom.”

“I am a witness also that he was father to his brethren.  I am a witness that he brought
forth the doctrine that is taught the people now.  I am a witness that he was willing to die for his testimony and the people, and he did lay down himself.  He sacrificed his family, he sacrificed his feelings, (and) his mission upon the earth and he did go like a lamb to the slaughter
and like a sheep to be shorn, opening not his mouth, went to go and be slain, and was slain, and I am a witness of it.  I was not in jail, to be sure, when he was shot, but he died. Aye, and I saw his body since his death and saw where the bullets pierced him and Brother Hyrum.  I am a witness of this.”

“Joseph,” Brigham continued, “was striving all the time to sanctify this people. . . .  If he had his desire, he would have come here (to the Great Basin West) and would not have left this people until they were sanctified, until the Lord came, and he would lead them into the millennium in the flesh.  That was his natural (feeling?).”

And Brigham shared this powerful witness, born of personal experience and years of personal contact and friendship:  “I am ever ready to testify that he lived (magnified/worked?) his calling as (a) holy priest. No man lived on this earth from the days of Adam until now, in my belief, that ever did better and did more Christ’s work and honor their priesthood better than Joseph Smith Junior. . . .  Brother Joseph Smith was a true man of God, a true prophet of (the) Lord, a true apostle of Jesus Christ. . . .  he was one (of the) greatest prophets (who) ever lived, one of (the) best men (who) ever lived.”

Following President Young’s remarks, John Taylor addressed the congregation.  Elder Taylor had been with Joseph and Hyrum Smith (and Willard Richards) in Carthage Jail during the 27 June 1844 attack; he still bore within his body some of the lead musket rounds with which he had been gravely wounded that day.

“It is pleasing to know,” Elder Taylor declared, “that we are the disciples of as good a man as Joseph Smith was; of a man that lived in the fear of God and taught his fear, who was faithful all his life long, and (remained faithful) unto the death.”

Elder Taylor continued:  “I was blessed to be associated with Brother Joseph Smith and, as President Young said he knew him, so did I. I have been with him under all kinds of circumstances—when the thick clouds of darkness gathered around and the earthquakes seemed to bellow and threaten destruction; when the forces of [the] earth were rallied against him; and in times of prosperity. I have heard him, as many of you have, speak in public to advance the principles of eternal truth, plead with the people to observe the laws of God, and keep his commandments that they might be prepared for a celestial inheritance.  I have also been with him in private council so that I have had the opportunity of becoming acquainted with his feelings, ideas, views, with his morality, with his truthfulness, with his integrity. And I know that he was a good man; that he was an honest man; that he was a man of integrity; that he was a prophet of the Lord; that he lived in that capacity and died in that capacity and maintained his integrity to the end. I was not only with him living but with him dying, and this is my testimony concerning Joseph Smith: I know before God and the holy angels. I do not think it; I know it.

“I know that he was a servant of God and prophet of the Lord and lived and died in the faith. I not only know it by my natural sight but by the revelations of God. And I know by the same way that he yet lives, because I have seen him and I know he yet lives. And therefore I rejoice in the testimony that I can bear concerning him.  And I know he will live and I know also that he is a friend of this people and watching over their interests. And I know also that he is a friend of President Young and watches over him and he is interested in the welfare, the happiness, and the exaltation of the saints of the Most High.”

A year after the martyrdom, John Taylor published lyrics in the August 1845 issue of “Times and Seasons” that powerfully express his sentiments toward Joseph and Hyrum Smith—and toward those who murdered them.  I especially commend to you the moving setting of the first half of Elder Taylor’s words, as arranged by Rob Gardner:

Oh give me back my Prophet dear
And Patriarch, Oh give them back
The Saints of latter-days to cheer,
And lead them in the gospel track!
But Oh they’re gone from my embrace,
From earthly scenes their spirits fled.
Two of the best of Adam’s race
Now lie entombed among the dead. 

Ye men of wisdom, tell me why—
No guilt, no crime in them were found,
Their blood doth now so loudly cry
From prison walls and Carthage ground.
Your tongues are mute, but pray attend,
The secret I will now relate
Why those whom God to earth did lend
Have met the suffering martyrs’ fate.

It is because they strove to gain
Beyond the grave a heaven of bliss,
Because they made the gospel plain
And led the Saints to righteousness;
It is because God called them forth
And led them by his own right hand
Christ’s coming to proclaim on earth
And gather Israel to their land.

It is because the priests of Baal
Were desperate their craft to save,
And when they saw it doomed to fall,
They sent the Prophets to their grave.
Like scenes the ancient Prophets saw,
Like these the ancient Prophets fell,
And, till the resurrection dawn,
Prophet and Patriarch, farewell!

***

This column draws extensively from two sources, though I have adjusted punctuation and capitalization and even added some helping words in a few cases, for (I hope) the sake of readability:

LaJean P. Carruth and Mark L. Staker, eds., “John Taylor’s June 27, 1854, Account of the Martyrdom,” BYU Studies 50/3 (July 2011): 25-62.

LaJean Carruth’s transcription of Brigham Young’s 27 June 1854 conference remarks is available in the Church History Department Catalog at https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets/e0e8f3e9-1ebe-4d7d-bc90-abb0bdf53169/0/0?lang=eng