Emma Hale Smith Bidamon (10 July 1804–30 April 1879) was married to Joseph Smith, Jr. until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement in her own right, both during his life and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Year 1804 ( MDCCCIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule Year 1879 ( MDCCCLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Please see the talk page for this article and the "See also" list before adding content or adding a hyphen to Latter Day Saint She was also named in 1842 as the inaugural president of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo, a woman's service organization which was later reorganized in Utah as a significant branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under the name Relief Society. The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization and an official Auxiliary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known
Contents |
Life
Early life and first marriage, 1804–1829
Emma was born 10 July 1804, in Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, as the seventh child of Isaac Hale and Elizabeth Lewis Hale. Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Year 1804 ( MDCCCIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. Emma first met her future husband, Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1825. Smith lived near Palmyra, New York, but boarded with the Hales in Harmony while he was employed in a company of men hoping to unearth buried treasure (specifically a silver mine for Josiah Stowell a farmer whose farm home still stand on the north side of the Susquehanna River on New York State Route 7 in Ninevah, New York, Just West of Afton). Palmyra is a Town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 7672 at the 2000 census Although the company found no treasure, Smith returned to Harmony several times seeking the hand of Emma. Isaac Hale refused to allow the marriage because he considered Smith's occupation disreputable. Finally, on 17 January 1827, Smith and Emma eloped across the state line to South Bainbridge (Afton), New York, where they were married the following day. Events 38 BC - Octavian marries Livia Drusilla. 1287 - King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Minorca Year 1827 ( MDCCCXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The site of the marriage is on the site of the present day Afton Fairgrounds located on New York State Route 41 within the Village of Afton, in the Town of Afton. The Afton Fairgrounds is located on the East side of the Susquehanna River and a New York State Historical Marker commemmorates the location. The couple moved to the home of Smith's parents on the edge of Manchester Township near Palmyra. Manchester New York is both a Town and a Village located in Ontario County New York.
While there, on 22 September 1827, Joseph and Emma took a horse and carriage belonging to Joseph Knight, Sr. and went to a hill now known as the Hill Cumorah where Joseph claimed to have received a set of Golden Plates. Events 66 - Emperor Nero creates the Legion I Italica. 1236 - The Lithuanians Year 1827 ( MDCCCXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Joseph Knight Sr (1772&ndash1847 was a close associate of Joseph Smith Jr Cumorah (also called Mormon Hill) is a Drumlin near Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith Jr In Latter Day Saint theology the golden plates (also called the gold plates or in some 19th century literature the golden Bible This created a great deal of excitement in the area. In December of 1827, the couple decided to move to be with Emma's parents' in Harmony where they reconciled to an extent with Isaac and Elizabeth Hale, who helped Emma and Joseph obtain a house and a small farm. While living there, Joseph began translation of the plates into the Book of Mormon, and for a time, Emma acted as a scribe. The Book of Mormon is a Sacred text of the churches in the Latter Day Saint movement. She became a physical witness of the plates, reporting that she felt them through a cloth, traced the pages through the cloth with her fingers, heard the metallic sound they made as she moved them, and felt their weight. She later wrote in an interview with her son, Joseph Smith III: "In writing for your father I frequently wrote day after day, often sitting at the table close by him, he sitting with his face buried in his hat, with the stone in it, and dictating hour after hour with nothing between us. " (History of the RLDS Church, 8 vols. (Independence, Missouri: Herald House, 1951), "Last Testimony of Sister Emma," 3:356. )
While in Harmony on 15 June 1828, Emma gave birth to her first child—a son named Alvin—who lived only a few hours. Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history The year 1828 ( MDCCCXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap
In May 1829, Emma and Joseph left Harmony and went to live with David Whitmer in Fayette, New York. David Whitmer ( January 7, 1805 &ndash January 25, 1888) was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became Fayette is a Town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 3643 at the 2000 census While there, Joseph finished work on the Book of Mormon, which was published by March of 1830.
"Elect Lady" and the early church, 1830–1839
On 6 April 1830, Joseph and five other men established the "Church of Christ" (whose name was changed to the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" in 1838). Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus For the game see 1830 (board game. Year 1830 ( MDCCCXXX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display See also Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (disambiguation The Church of Christ, later called Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was the
Emma was baptized in 28 June 1830 in Colesville, New York where an early branch of the church was established. Events 1098 - Fighters of the First Crusade defeat Kerbogha of Mosul. For the game see 1830 (board game. Year 1830 ( MDCCCXXX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display Colesville is a Town in Broome County, New York, United States. In denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement (other than The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) a branch is the term used for what is called a During the next weeks, Joseph was arrested and tried in South Bainbridge for "glass looking" on the state's vagrancy law. Emma may have been disheartened and Joseph reported a revelation which instructed her to "murmur not" but also comforted her with the assurance, "thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou art an elect lady, whom I have called. "[1] The revelation goes on to state that Emma would "be ordained under [Joseph's] hand to expound scriptures, and to exhort the church" and further authorizes Emma to "make a selection of sacred Hymns" for the church.
Joseph and Emma returned to Harmony for a time, but relations with Emma's parents broke down, and the couple returned to live again in the homes of members of the growing church. They lived first with the Whitmers again in Fayette, then with Newel K. Whitney and his family in Kirtland, Ohio and then into a cabin on a farm owned by Isaac Morley. Newel Kimball Whitney ( February 5 1795 – 24 September 1850) (first name sometimes found as Newell) was a prominent leader of For other places with the same name see Kirtland Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. Isaac Morley ( March 11, 1786 – June 24, 1865) was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement and a contemporary of both It was here on April 30, 1831 that Emma prematurely gave birth to twins—named Thaddeus and Louisa—who died hours later. Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule Year 1831 ( MDCCCXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a That same day Julia Clapp Murdock died giving birth to twins, named Joseph and Julia. Julia Murdock Smith Dixon Middleton ( May 1 1831 - September 12 1880) was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement and the When they were nine days old, their father, John Murdock gave the infants to the Smiths who adopted them and raised them as their own. On 2 September 1831, Emma, Joseph and the twins moved into John Johnson's home in Hiram, Ohio. Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Year 1831 ( MDCCCXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Hiram is a village in Portage County, Ohio, United States. It was formed from portions of Hiram Township in the Connecticut The infant Joseph died of exposure or pneumonia in late March 1832.
On November 6, 1832, Emma gave birth to a son, named Joseph Smith III, in the upper room of Newel K. Whitney's store in Kirtland. Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with Year 1832 ( MDCCCXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Joseph Smith III ( November 6, 1832 – December 10, 1914) was the eldest surviving son of Joseph Smith Jr Newel Kimball Whitney ( February 5 1795 – 24 September 1850) (first name sometimes found as Newell) was a prominent leader of Young Joseph (as he became known) was the first of the children she bore to live to adulthood. A second son, Frederick Granger Williams Smith (named for a counselor in the church's First Presidency), followed on June 29, 1836. Frederick Granger Williams (1787&ndash1842 was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement and served in the First Presidency as Second Counselor to church In the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency (or the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church) was the highest governing body in the Latter Day Saint church Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland. Year 1836 ( MDCCCXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap
While in Kirtland, Emma's feelings about temperance and the use of tobacco may have influenced her husband's decision to pray about dietary questions. These prayers resulted in the "Word of Wisdom". Word of wisdom is regarded among Charismatics and Pentecostals to be the Supernatural revelation of wisdom through the power of the Holy Spirit Also, Emma's first selection of hymns was published as a hymnal for the church's use. It was also in Kirtland that Emma's husband began to teach and practice the doctrine of "plural marriage"—although this was not yet an official doctrine or practice of the church. And it was in Kirtland that the collapse of Joseph's banking venture, the Kirtland Safety Society, led to serious problems for the church and the family. The Kirtland Safety Society (KSS was a quasi- Bank organized in 1836 (and reorganized on January 2, 1837) by leaders and followers of the Church On January 12, 1838, he was forced to leave the state or face charges of fraud and illegal banking. Events 475 - Basiliscus becomes Byzantine Emperor, with a coronation ceremony in the Hebdomon palace in Constantinople Year 1838 ( MDCCCXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common
Emma and her family followed after, as they could, and made a new home on the frontier in the Mormon settlement of Far West, Missouri. Far West Missouri, was a Latter Day Saint ( Mormon) settlement in Caldwell County Missouri. There, on June 2, 1838, Emma gave birth to another son, Alexander Hale Smith. Events 455 - The Vandals enter Rome, and plunder the city for two weeks Year 1838 ( MDCCCXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Alexander Hale Smith (1838&ndash1909 was the third surviving son of Joseph Smith Jr Events of the Mormon War soon escalated, resulting in Joseph's surrender and imprisonment by Missouri officials. Emma and her family were forced to leave the state with the majority of Latter Day Saint refugees. She crossed the Mississippi River which had frozen over in February of 1839. Of these times, she later wrote:
- "No one but God knows the reflections of my mind and the feelings of my heart when I left our house and home, and almost all of everything that we possessed excepting our little children, and took my journey out of the State of Missouri, leaving [Joseph] shut up in that lonesome prison. But the reflection is more than human nature ought to bear, and if God does not record our sufferings and avenge our wrongs on them that are guilty, I shall be sadly mistaken. "
Early years in Nauvoo, 1839–1844
Emma and her family lived with friendly non-Mormons John and Sarah Cleveland in Quincy, Illinois, until Joseph escaped custody in Missouri. Quincy Illinois, known as the " Gem City " is a city on the Mississippi River in Adams County, Illinois, United States The family moved to a new Latter-Day Saint settlement in Illinois which Joseph named "Nauvoo. There is also a Nauvoo Alabama, and a Nauvoo Pennsylvania Nauvoo ( is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois " On May 9, 1839, they moved into a two story log house there which they called the "Homestead. Events 1457 BC - Battle of Megiddo (15th century BC between Thutmose III and a large Canaanite coalition under the King of Year 1839 ( MDCCCXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common " They lived there until 1842 when a much larger house, known as the "Mansion House" was built across the street. A wing (no longer extant) was added to this house, which Emma operated as a hotel.
On March 17, 1842 the Relief Society was formally organized as the women's auxiliary to the church and Emma became its founding president. Events 45 BC - In his last victory Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger Year 1842 ( MDCCCXLII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization and an official Auxiliary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Shortly before this, Joseph initiated the Anointed Quorum—a prayer-circle of important men and women in the church that included Emma. The Anointed Quorum, also known as the Quorum of the Anointed, or the Holy Order, was a select body of men and women who Joseph Smith Jr
Joseph had continued to practice plural marriage in secret. In Nauvoo, he began to privately expand the circle of men and women who were taught this doctrine. Joseph always denied the principle of plural marriage in public. Joseph's brother Hyrum was originally a strong opponent of plural marriage and asked Joseph to "seek a revelation" to settle the issue. Reportedly, a revelation that Joseph dictated on 12 July 1843 (although it may have been given earlier) converted Hyrum to the principle and Hyrum convinced Joseph to let him share it with Emma. Events 1191 - Saladin 's garrison surrenders ending the two-year Siege of Acre. Year 1843 ( MDCCCXLIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Rumors of polygamy and "spiritual wifery" had dogged the Mormons for over a decade, and Emma had long been a public opponent of it. The reported revelation addressed Emma specifically and commanded that unless she "cleave unto my servant Joseph, and to none else. But if she will not abide this commandment she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord. " (See Doctrine and Covenants, LDS, 132:54. The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the ) According to later reports, Emma took the copy of the written revelation that Hyrum had presented to her and burned it. Further testimonies affirm that she later agreed to let Joseph marry (or re-marry) a number of plural wives. On May 11, 1843 she purportedly took part in a marriage ceremony between Joseph and Emily D. Events 330 - Byzantium is renamed ''Nova Roma'' during a dedication ceremony but is more popularly referred to as Constantinople Year 1843 ( MDCCCXLIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Partridge and Eliza M. Partridge. Nevertheless, throughout her life Emma continued to publicly deny the principle of plural marriage and repeatedly stating that neither she nor Joseph had any part in it. The reasons for the denials is not known, however, Joseph often asked those whom he told never to reveal the doctrine publicly.
Rumors concerning polygamy and other practices threatened to erupt into the open in June 1844, with the publication of the Nauvoo Expositor by disaffected former church leaders. The Nauvoo Expositor was a Newspaper in Nauvoo, Illinois that published only one issue which was dated June 7, 1844 The press was destroyed by the town marshal on orders from the town council (of which Joseph was a member) which set into motion the events that ultimately led to his arrest and incarceration in the jail in Carthage. Carthage is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. While he was there, a mob of about 200 armed men stormed Carthage Jail in the late afternoon of 27 June 1844. Events 1358 - Republic of Dubrovnik is founded 1709 - Peter the Great defeats Charles XII of Sweden Year 1844 ( MDCCCXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Gun shots killed both Joseph and his brother Hyrum.
Later years in Nauvoo, 1844–1879
Joseph's death threw both the church and Emma's family into disorder. Emma was left a pregnant widow—it would be on November 17, 1844, that she gave birth to David Hyrum Smith, her and Joseph's last child together. Events 284 - Diocletian is proclaimed emperor by his soldiers Year 1844 ( MDCCCXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year David Hyrum Smith (1844-1904 was the youngest son of Joseph Smith Jr In addition to being church president, Joseph had been trustee-in-trust for the church. As a result, his estate was entirely wrapped up with the finances of the church. Untangling the church's property and debts from Emma's personal property and debts proved a long and potentially dangerous process for Emma and her family.
The church itself was left with no clear successor and a succession crisis ensued. The succession crisis in the Latter Day Saint movement occurred after the violent death of the movement's founder Joseph Smith Jr Emma wanted William Marks, president of the church's central stake, to assume the church presidency, but Marks favored Sidney Rigdon for the role. William Marks ( November 15, 1792 &ndash May 22, 1872) was a leader in the early days of the Latter Day Saint movement and was a member A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church Sidney Rigdon ( 19 February 1793 – 14 July 1876) was an important figure in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. After a meeting on August 6, a congregation of the church voted that the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles should become the new First Presidency of the church. In the Latter Day Saint movement, the quorum of the Twelve (also known as the council of the Twelve, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Council In the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency (or the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church) was the highest governing body in the Latter Day Saint church Brigham Young, president of the Quorum, then became "de-facto" president of the church in Nauvoo. Brigham Young (June 1 1801 &ndash August 29 1877 was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement.
Relations between Young and Emma steadily deteriorated, and Emma's friends as well as members of the Smith family were cut off from the church. Relations between the Latter-day Saints and their neighbors also declined into near open warfare, and finally Young made the decision to relocate in the West. When he and the majority of the Latter-day Saints abandoned Nauvoo in early 1846, Emma and her children remained behind in the mostly empty town.
Nearly two years later, a close friend and non-Mormon, Major Lewis C. Bidamon, proposed marriage and became Emma's second husband on December 23, 1847. Events 962 - Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops stormed the city Year 1847 ( MDCCCXLVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Bidamon moved into the mansion house and became stepfather to Emma's children. Emma and Bidamon attempted to operate a store and to continue to operate their large house as a hotel, but Nauvoo had too few residents and visitors to make either venture very profitable. Emma and her family remained rich in real estate but poor in capital.
Unlike other members of the Smith family who had at times favored the claims of James J. Strang and/or William Smith, Emma and her children continued to live as unaffiliated Latter Day Saints. James Jesse Strang (March 21 1813 &ndash July 9 1856 was one of three major contenders for leadership of the Latter Day Saint movement during the 1844 Succession Crisis William Smith (also found as William B Smith) ( March 13 1811 – November 13, 1893) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement Many Latter Day Saints believed that her eldest son, Joseph Smith III, would one day be called to take his father's place. Joseph Smith III ( November 6, 1832 – December 10, 1914) was the eldest surviving son of Joseph Smith Jr Knowing the dangers and hardships firsthand, Emma may have preferred a different path for her son. However, when he reported receiving a calling from God to take his father's place as head of a "New Organization" of the Latter Day Saint church, she supported his decision. Both she and Joseph III traveled to a conference at Amboy, Illinois and on April 6, 1860, Joseph was sustained as president of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which later became the Community of Christ. The Amboy Conference was the setting of the official "re-organization" of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints into the Latter Day Saint denomination Amboy is a city in Lee County, Illinois, along the Green River. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus Year 1860 ( MDCCLX) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year starting In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church Emma became a member of this organization without rebaptism, as her original 1830 baptism was still considered valid. Rebaptism is a practice in some denominations of the Latter Day Saint or Mormonism movement
Emma and Joseph III returned to Nauvoo after the conference and he led the church from there until moving to Plano, Illinois in 1866. Plano is a city in Kendall County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5633 at the 2000 census Joseph called upon his mother to help prepare a hymnal for the New Organization, just as she had for the early church.
Major Bidamon renovated a portion of the unfinished "Nauvoo House" hotel (across the street from the mansion house) and he and Emma moved there in 1869. Emma died peacefully in her home on April 30, 1879. Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule Year 1879 ( MDCCCLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Her memorial service was held May 2 of that year in Nauvoo, Illinois.
Richard Lyman Bushman, in his recent biography “Joseph Smith - Rough Stone Rolling” asserts that Emma’s second husband, Lewis Bidamon, had an affair after he married Emma which produced a child. Richard Lyman Bushman (born June 20, 1931) is an American Historian and Gouverneur Morris Professor of History emeritus at Columbia University According to Bushman, Major Bidamon brought the child home for Emma to raise when it was 4 years old and the mistress also lived in the Bidamon household with Bidamon and Emma.
Hymns and hymnals
In June 1832 a selection of six hymns were published in the first issue of The Evening and the Morning Star, an early church periodical (See June 1832, p. 8 - Wikisource). The Evening and the Morning Star (often shortened to Evening and Morning Star) was an early Latter Day Saint periodical published monthly in
The first church hymnal came off the press in 1836 (and maybe late 1835) at Kirtland, Ohio [2]. For other places with the same name see Kirtland Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. It was titled A Collection of Sacred Hymns, for the Church of the Latter Day Saints and contained 90 hymn texts (no music). A Collection of Sacred Hymns for the Church of the Latter Day Saints More than half of the texts were borrowed from other Protestant traditions, but often changed slightly to reinforce the theology of the early church. For example, Hymn 15, changes Isaac Watts' Joy to the World from a song about Christmas to a song about the return of Christ (See Joy to the world! the Lord will come!) Most of these changes as well as a large number of the original songs included in the hymnal are attributed to William Wines Phelps. Isaac Watts ( July 17, 1674 – November 25, 1748) is recognised as the "Father of English Hymnody" as he was the first prolific and " Joy to the World " is a popular Christmas carol. The scripture-based words are by Isaac Watts. " Joy to the World! The Lord Will Come " is an adaptation of the popular Christmas carol Joy to the World. William Wines Phelps ( February 17[[ 792]] — March 7[[ 872]] was an important early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement.
Emma also compiled a second hymnal by the same title, which was published in Nauvoo, Illinois, 1841. There is also a Nauvoo Alabama, and a Nauvoo Pennsylvania Nauvoo ( is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois This contained 304 hymn texts.
When her son, Joseph Smith III, in 1860 was called as the president/prophet of the Reorganization (now known as Community of Christ) she was again asked to compile a hymnal. Joseph Smith III ( November 6, 1832 – December 10, 1914) was the eldest surviving son of Joseph Smith Jr Latter Day Saints' Selection of Hymns was published in 1861, although the extent of her involvement is not known.
Female Relief Society of Nauvoo
Emma was elected as the first president of the Relief Society of Nauvoo, 17 March 1842. The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization and an official Auxiliary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Events 45 BC - In his last victory Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger Year 1842 ( MDCCCXLII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The organization was formed to "provoke the brethren to good works in looking to the wants of the poor, [search] after objects of charity. . . [and] to assist by correcting the virtues of the female community," according to the minutes of the Relief Society.
Polygamy
Newell and Avery, in their biography, Mormon Enigma, cite evidence that Emma witnessed several marriages of Joseph Smith, Jr. to plural wives. Linda King Newell is co- Author with Valeen Tippetts Avery of the book Mormon Enigma Emma Hale Smith. Valeen Tippetts Avery (1936 - 2006 was an American biographer and historian best known for her work on Western American and Latter Day Saint history Mormon Enigma Emma Hale Smith is a Biography of Emma Hale Smith, wife of Joseph Smith Jr However, like all those who participated in early Plural Marriages, Emma publicly denied knowledge of her husband's involvement in the practice of polygamy. The term polygamy (a Greek word meaning "the practice of multiple marriage" is used in related ways in Social anthropology, Sociobiology, and
Her son, Joseph Smith III, became prophet/president of the Reorganization — which gathered many of the Latter Day Saints still scattered across the Midwest and elsewhere. Joseph Smith III ( November 6, 1832 – December 10, 1914) was the eldest surviving son of Joseph Smith Jr Many of the Midwestern Latter Day Saints had broken with Brigham Young and/or James Strang because of earnest opposition to polygamy. Emma's continuing public denial of the practice seemed to lend strength to their cause, and opposition to polygamy became a tenet of the Reorganized church (now known as Community of Christ). Over the years many church historians attempted to prove that the practice had originated with Brigham Young. Brigham Young (June 1 1801 &ndash August 29 1877 was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement.
Beginning in the 1970s, however, with increasing professionalization in the reorganized church historians office, some (but by no means all) of the members of the reorganized church have come to accept the evidence that the system originated with Smith himself. Some recent reorganized church historians acknowledge Smith's practice of polygamy. (See Doctrine and Covenants: Section 132 for the revelation received by the prophet, Joseph Smith Jr. in connection with polygamy).
References
- Linda King Newell and Valeen Tippetts Avery, Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith (New York: Doubleday, 1984). Linda King Newell is co- Author with Valeen Tippetts Avery of the book Mormon Enigma Emma Hale Smith. Valeen Tippetts Avery (1936 - 2006 was an American biographer and historian best known for her work on Western American and Latter Day Saint history ISBN 0-385-17166-8. 2nd edition. rev. , Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1994.
- Michael Hicks, Mormonism and Music: A History, (Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1989; [Paperback Ed. , 2003]).
- Dan Vogel, Early Mormon Documents, Vol. 4, (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2002).
- Roger D. Launius, Joseph Smith III: Pragmatic Prophet, (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1988).
- Richard Lyman Bushman, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, (New York: Knopf, 2005)
External links
- Emma Tribute/Hymn Festival Information on Emma's life and contribution to hymnody (bicentennial celebration)
| Preceded by — |
President of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints March 17, 1842–1844 |
Succeeded by Eliza R. Snow |