D&C 23-26 Quotes and Notes

In this podcast, we will cover Section 25 first, examining three ways to interpret and apply this scripture. In the subsequent podcast we discussed sections 23, 24, and 26. The Show Notes reflect an overall view of all of these sections.

D&C 23-26 Show Notes

D&C 23 April 1830 revelation directed to Oliver Cowdery, Hyrum Smith, Samuel H. Smith, Joseph Smith Sr., and Joseph Knight Sr.

Oliver: Beware of pride and make known your calling (v.1-2).

Hyrum: Strengthen the church (v.3).

Samuel: You are not yet to preach, but to strengthen the church (v.4).

Joseph Smith Sr.: Strengthen the church (v.5).

Joseph Knight: Pray vocally before the world, as well as in secret, and unite with the church (v.6-7).

Historical context of Joseph and Newell Knight:

The Sunday after the church was organized, Oliver preached to the Whitmer family and their friends in Fayette. Many of them had supported the Book of Mormon translation but had not yet joined the church. After Oliver finished speaking, six people asked him to baptize them in a nearby lake.^[1]Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Volume 1: The Standard of Truth, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2018, p. 89. See also: Joseph Smith History, … Continue reading

As more people joined the new church, the immensity of the Lord’s commission to take the gospel to the world weighed on Joseph. He had published the Book of Mormon and organized the Lord’s church, but the book was selling poorly and those who sought baptism were mostly his friends and relatives. And Joseph still had much to learn about heaven and earth.

People who joined the church often came seeking the gifts of the Spirit and other miracles they read about in the New Testament.^[2]Ibid., p. 89. But the restored gospel promised believers something even greater than wonders and signs. Benjamin, a wise prophet and king in the Book of Mormon, had taught that if people yielded to the Holy Spirit, they could shed their sinful nature and become saints through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.^[3]Mosiah 3.19.

For Joseph, the challenge now was how to move the Lord’s work forward. He and Oliver knew they had to cry repentance to all people. The field was ready to harvest, and the worth of every soul was great in the eyes of God. But how could two young apostles—a farmer and a schoolteacher, both in their early twenties—move such a great work forward?

And how could a small church in rural New York rise above its humble beginnings and grow to fill the entire world?

After the baptisms in Fayette, Joseph began the hundred-mile trip back to his farm in Harmony. As busy as he was with the new church, he had to plant his fields soon if he wanted a successful fall harvest. His payments to Emma’s father on the farm were already late, and if his crops failed, he would have to find another way to pay off his debt.

On his way home, Joseph stopped at Joseph and Polly Knight’s farm in Colesville, New York. The Knights had long supported him, but they still had not joined the church. Joseph Knight in particular wanted to read the Book of Mormon before he embraced the new faith.^[4]Saints, p. 91. Joseph Smith History, 1838–56, volume A-1, 39, in JSP, H1:380 (draft 2); Knight, Reminiscences, 7; see also Historical Introduction to Revelation, Apr. 1830–E [D&C 23:6–7], … Continue reading

The First Miracle Recorded^[5]See: Joseph Smith Papers, where it is stated that “this was the first miracle wrought in this Church.” After the devil was cast out Newel related that “The scene was now entirely changed, … Continue reading

Joseph stayed a few days in Colesville, preaching to the Knights and their friends. Newel Knight, one of Joseph and Polly’s sons, often talked with the prophet about the gospel. One day, Joseph invited him to pray at a meeting, but Newel said he would rather pray alone in the woods.

The next morning, Newel went to the woods and tried to pray. An uneasy feeling came over him, and it grew worse as he started for home. By the time he reached his house, the feeling was so oppressive that he begged his wife, Sally, to get the prophet.

Joseph hurried to Newel’s side and found family members and neighbors watching fearfully as the young man’s face, arms, and legs contorted wildly. When Newel saw Joseph, he cried, “Cast the devil out!”

Joseph had never tried to rebuke the devil or heal someone before, but he knew Jesus had promised His disciples the power to do so. Acting quickly, he caught Newel by the hand. “In the name of Jesus Christ,” he said, “depart from him.”

As soon as Joseph spoke, the contortions stopped. Newel slumped to the floor, exhausted but unharmed, muttering that he had seen the devil leave his body. The Knights and their neighbors were astonished by what Joseph had done. Helping them carry Newel to a bed, Joseph told them it was the first miracle performed in the church.

“It was done by God,” he testified, “and by the power of godliness.”^[6]Saints, p. 91-92. See also: Joseph Smith History, circa June–Oct. 1839, [11]–[13] (draft 1); Joseph Smith History, 1838–56, volume A-1, 39–41 (draft 2); Joseph Smith History, circa 1841, … Continue reading

After this incident, Newel Knight testified in a court of law that Joseph Smith cast the devil out of him and described the incident.^[7]When crossed examined by William Seymour he was asked this question, “Have you not had the Devil cast out of you? Ans: Yes Sir. And had not Joe Smith some hand in its being done! Ans: Yes Sir. And … Continue reading

D&C 24 To Joseph and Oliver

D&C 24.1-9 is to Joseph and 24.10-19 is directed to Oliver

To Joseph the Lord says:

Go to Colesville (v.3) and magnify your office.

If they receive you= blessing… if not= cursing (v. 4, 6).

The Lord tells Joseph he will have “many” afflictions (v.8).

Joseph is told he will not “have strength” in “temporal labors.”

Joseph’s call was to labor in the things of the Spirit. In this he was to be blessed. Others would be granted the ability to accumulate the wealth of the world. He would not. Those so blessed are expected to contribute liberally of their means to the building of the kingdom of God. Critics of the Prophet have accused him of attempting to obtain power and wealth. Such charges expose only their own desires and ignorance. Every key, power, and authority that Joseph ever received he gave to others. The same was true of temporal things—all that he had he freely gave to those in need.^[8]McConkie and Ostler, Revelations of the Restoration, p. 190-191.

Brigham Young described Joseph’s nature: “You that have lived in Nauvoo, in Missouri, in Kirtland, Ohio, can you assign a reason why Joseph could not keep a store, and be a merchant? Let me just give you a few reasons, and there are men here who know how matters went in those days. Joseph goes to New York and buys 20,000 dollars’ worth of goods, comes into Kirtland and commences to trade. In comes one of the brethren, ‘Brother Joseph, let me have a frock pattern for my wife.’ What if Joseph says, ‘No, I cannot without the money.’ The consequence would be, ‘He is no Prophet,’ says James. Pretty soon Thomas walks in. ‘Brother Joseph, will you trust me for a pair of boots?’ ‘No, I cannot let them go without the money.’ ‘Well,’ says Thomas, ‘Brother Joseph is no Prophet; I have found that out, and I am glad of it.’ After a while, in comes Bill and sister Susan. Says Bill, ‘Brother Joseph, I want a shawl, I have not got the money, but I wish you to trust me a week or a fortnight.’ Well, brother Joseph thinks the others have gone and apostatized, and he don’t know but these goods will make the whole Church do the same, so he lets Bill have a shawl. Bill walks off with it and meets a brother. ‘Well,’ says he, ‘what do you think of brother Joseph?’ ‘O he is a first-rate man, and I fully believe he is a Prophet. See here, he has trusted me this shawl.’ Richard says, ‘I think I will go down and see if he won’t trust me some.’ In walks Richard. ‘Brother Joseph, I want to trade about 20 dollars.’ ‘Well,’ says Joseph, ‘these goods will make the people apostatize; so over they go, they are of less value than the people.’ Richard gets his goods. Another comes in the same way to make a trade of 25 dollars, and so it goes. Joseph was a first-rate fellow with them all the time, provided he never would ask them to pay him. In this way it is easy for us to trade away a first- rate store of goods, and be in debt for them.” ^[9]Journal of Discourses, 1:215

Joseph’s calling is to “expound all scriptures” (v.9).

To Oliver the Lord says:

Require not miracles (v.13).

Curse those that reject you (v.15-16).

Prune the vineyard and don’t take “purse nor scrip” (v.18-19).

A purse βαλάντιον balantion is a bag or pouch (Luke 10.4), and a scrip πήρα or πήραν peran as it is used in the accusative of Luke 10, is a knapsack or a pack for carrying provisions. Therefore, the Lord was instructing the elders to travel without money or luggage. They were to depend upon the Lord, the Church, and the good people they contacted and taught for their temporal support.

24.15 Shaking Dust

Mark 6.11 reads, “And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.”

Luke 10.9-11 says, “And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.”

The same injunctions given in this revelation were given by the Savior to the Twelve in the meridian day. Commenting on these ideas, Elder James E. Talmage observed: “To ceremonially shake the dust from one’s feet as a testimony against another was understood by the Jews to symbolize a cessation of fellowship and a renunciation of all responsibility for consequences that might follow. It became an ordinance of accusation and testimony by the Lord’s instructions to His apostles as cited in the text. In the current dispensation, the Lord has similarly directed His authorized servants to so testify against those who wilfully and maliciously oppose the truth when authoritatively presented (D&C 24:15; 60:15; 75:20; 84:92; 99:4). The responsibility of testifying before the Lord by this accusing symbol is so great that the means may be employed only under unusual and extreme conditions, as the Spirit of the Lord may direct.” ^[10]Jesus the Christ, 345

One commentator instructed, “After the call of the Twelve in our day, we would understand this authority to rest with them, as it did anciently, or to those to whom they directly give it. The authority to perform the same has not been given to missionaries generally. Those performing this ordinance are further directed that it not be done in the presence of those they are testifying against “lest thou provoke them, but in secret; and wash thy feet, as a testimony against them in the day of judgment” (D&C 60:15).^[11]McConkie and Ostler, Revelations of the Restoration, p.192. I would add that there are examples in the 1800’s of missionaries practicing this, though this fell out of use as time passed. The … Continue reading

D&C 25 Revelation to Emma Smith

President Nelson counsels the Saints to study D&C 25 in relation to God’s power- priesthood power, and how we can access the power of God in our lives:

Every woman and every man who makes covenants with God and keeps those covenants, and who participates worthily in priesthood ordinances, has direct access to the power of God. Those who are endowed in the house of the Lord receive a gift of God’s priesthood power by virtue of their covenant, along with a gift of knowledge to know how to draw upon that power.

The heavens are just as open to women who are endowed with God’s power flowing from their priesthood covenants as they are to men who bear the priesthood. I pray that truth will register upon each of your hearts because I believe it will change your life. Sisters, you have the right to draw liberally upon the Savior’s power to help your family and others you love.

Now, you might be saying to yourself, “This sounds wonderful, but how do I do it? How do I draw the Savior’s power into my life?”

You won’t find this process spelled out in any manual. The Holy Ghost will be your personal tutor as you seek to understand what the Lord would have you know and do. This process is neither quick nor easy, but it is spiritually invigorating. What could possibly be more exciting than to labor with the Spirit to understand God’s power—priesthood power?

What I can tell you is that accessing the power of God in your life requires the same things that the Lord instructed Emma and each of you to do.

So, I invite you to study prayerfully section 25 of the Doctrine and Covenants and discover what the Holy Ghost will teach you. Your personal spiritual endeavor will bring you joy as you gain, understand, and use the power with which you have been endowed.^[12]President Nelson, Spiritual Treasures, October Conference, 2019.

Three Layers to D&C 25

In this podcast we examined three ways to read D&C 25. The 3 layers as we called them were the following:

1. The Lord’s counsel to Emma Smith.
2. The Lord’s counsel to all women.
3. The Lord’s instruction to the bride, or the Church of Christ.

We began with the second layer, the Lord’s instruction to all women. We covered the following scriptural texts in the podcast:

1. Isaiah 49.15 – The price paid- note the connection to motherhood
2. Moses 6.59 – spirit, blood, water
3. John 16.21 – travail in sorrow
4. Alma 19.12 – Lamoni embraces his wife
5. Moses 5.10-11 – “my” versus “our”
6. Alma 42.24 – justice & mercy

Heaven Works Backwards

“Ye cannot in your present state understand eternity…But ye can get some likeness of it if ye say that both good and evil, when they are full grown, become retrospective… all this earthly past will have been Heaven to those who are saved… All their life on earth too, will then be seen by the damned to have been Hell. That is what mortals misunderstand. They say of some temporal suffering, ‘No future bliss can make up for it,’ not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory. And of some sinful pleasure they say ‘Let me but have this and I’ll take the consequences’: little dreaming how damnation will spread back and back into their past and contaminate the pleasure of the sin. Both processes begin even before death. The good man’s past begins to change so that his forgiven sins and remembered sorrows take on the quality of Heaven: the bad man’s past already conforms to his badness and is filled only with dreariness. And that is why, at the end of all things, when the sun rises here and the twilight turns to blackness down there, the Blessed will say, ‘We have never lived anywhere except in Heaven,’ and the Lost, ‘We were always in Hell.’ And both will speak truly… Ah, the Saved… what happens to them is best described as the opposite of a mirage. What seemed, when they entered it, to be the vale of misery, turns out, when they look back, to have been a well; and where present experience saw only salt deserts, memory truthfully records that the pools were full of water.”^[13]C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce [New York: Macmillan, 1977], 67-68 as found in Wilcox, Michael, Hope: An Anchor To The Soul [Deseret Book, 1999], 60-61.

We then examined the third layer, seeing how the Lord’s counsel can be applied to the bride of Christ, or the Church of Jesus Christ, meaning that we took an allegorical reading of the text in this section of the podcast. We then covered the following scriptures:

1. Moses 3.16-17 – See the Father’s approach
2. Moses 4.6-7 – Note Satan’s approach
3. 1 Samuel 17 – Saul’s comparison of himself to David
4. Alma 29.9 – The Antidote to the problem
5. Alma 36.22 – This verse is directly connected to D&C 25.11-13

Henry Moyle stated:

I have a conviction deep down in my heart that we are exactly what we should be, each one of us…I have convinced myself that we all have those peculiar attributes, characteristics, and abilities which are essential for us to possess in order that we may fulfil the full purpose of our creation here upon this earth. Once again, that allotment which has come to us from God is a sacred allotment. It is something of which we should be proud, each one of us in our own right, and not wish that we had somebody else’s allotment. Our greatest success comes from being ourselves. I think that we can console ourselves best by believing that whatever is our allotment in life, whatever is our call in the priesthood, the Lord has been wise and just, and I might add, merciful, in giving to us that which we need to accomplish the particular purpose of our call.^[14]Henry D. Moyle, Conference Report, Oct. 1952.

Elder Boyd K. Packer said:

I want to be good. I’m not ashamed to say that—I want to be good. And I’ve found in my life that it has been critically important that this was established between me and the Lord so that I knew that He knew which way I had committed my agency. I went before Him and in essence said, “I’m not neutral, and You can do with me what You want. If You need my vote, it’s there. I don’t care what You do with me, and You don’t have to take anything from me because I give it to You—everything, all I own, all I am.” And that makes the difference.^[15]Elder Boyd K. Packer, “That All May Be Edified,” 272.

Finally, we looked at the life of Emma Smith, seeing how the Lord’s counsel to her worked throughout her life. Truly, Emma Smith is an example of compassion, faith, and patience in an uncertain and oftentimes troubling world.

Counsel from the Lord to Emma: Thy sins are forgiven (3), murmur not because of what you haven’t seen (4), comfort Joseph (5), scribe for Joseph (6), expound the scriptures (7), don’t worry about finances, Joseph will support you “in the church” (9), make a selection of hymns (11), lift up your head and rejoice (13), beware of pride (14), keep the commandments and you will receive a crown of righteousness (15).

Emma Hale Smith Bidamon

Born July 10, 1804 in Willingborough, Pennsylvania, the 7^th of 9 children of Isaac and Elizabeth Hale. [Isaac Hale lived from 21 Mar. 1763-Jan. 1839). Isaac served in the Revolutionary War, in 1780, married Elizabeth when he was 27 in 1890.

Isaac made a living shipping meat and other merchandise downriver to Philadelphia and Baltimore.^[16]George Peck, The Life and Times of Rev. George Peck, New York: Nelson & Phillips, 1874, p. 67. See also Isaac Hale Testimony, “Commonwealth vs. Jason Treadwell, Murder, Filed August 30, 1824, … Continue reading

Emma grew to be a tall woman, standing at 5 foot nine inches tall, with dark hair, dark eyes, and an olive complexion.^[17]Richard Turley, Brittany Chapman, Women of Faith in the Latter Days: Volume 1, 1775-1820, Deseret Book, 2012, p. 344. She met Joseph Smith in 1825 when he 19 years old working to locate a silver mine for Isaac Hale and Josiah Stowell.^[18] Joseph Smith Sr., Josiah Stowell, Isaac Hale, and five others apparently signed agreement concerning search for silver mine. See: JS History, vol. A-1, 7–8; Isaac Hale et al., Agreement, … Continue reading This silver was apparently buried under ground and was revealed to a woman who was called a “peeper”- something that people in the 1800’s took seriously. This woman approached William Hale, Isaac’s brother, with the story of the buried silver, and William began to dig in search for the hidden treasure.^[19] Linda King Newell and Valeen Tippets Avery, Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith, University of Illinois Press, p. 7-8. Newell and Avery continue: The work was slow and difficult for a man … Continue reading

Isaac Hales Conflicting Emotions

Two historians relate the conflict that Isaac Hale had over the ensuing search for treasure in Harmony:

Isaac Hale viewed the money-digging activities with conflicting emotions. On the one hand, his farming experience taught him that the earth rarely harbored great riches. But when his neighbor, Josiah Stowell, believed peep stones could reveal hidden treasures and invested money in the enterprise, Isaac suspected Josiah knew something he did not. Both men were comfortably well off, but neither was wealthy. If Josiah Stowell found a fortune under Isaac’s nose, the subtle social structure existing among the local farmers would be altered in Stowell’s favor. It would humiliate Isaac if his lazy relative, William Hale, found a treasure. Isaac Hale guarded both his options. He allowed the money digging to take place under his watchful eye but kept himself a respectable distance from the operation.

On November 1, 1825, Isaac witnessed an agreement between the workers and Josiah Stowell which formed a digging company. The Smiths’ share amounted to two elevenths of the findings, whether it be in ore or “coined money and bars or ingots of Gold or Silver.”^[20]The Joseph Smith Papers, Articles of Agreement. Documents signed November 1, 1825 in the presence of Isaac Hale, David Hale, P. Newton, Chas. A. Newton, Joseph Smith Senior, Isaiah [Josiah] Stowell, … Continue reading

As the money digging progressed with no sign of treasure, Isaac seemed to place the responsibility for the whole operation on Joseph. Isaac said, “Young Smith gave the moneydiggers great encouragement, at first, but when they had arrived in digging too near the place where he had stated an immense treasure would be found—he said the enchantment was so powerful that he could not see it.” Several years later Isaac referred to his son-in-law as a “careless young man—not very well educated, and very saucy and insolent to his father.”^[21]Statement of Isaac Hale, Susquehanna Register (Montrose, Pa.), 1 May 1834; reprinted in Eber D. Howe, Mormonism Unvailed, p. 263. See: Newell and Avery, p. 17. There is no account of Joseph’s father ever registering that complaint against his son. What Isaac interpreted as insolence may have been a disagreement over whether or not to continue with the digging operation. According to his mother’s account, Joseph had not wanted to participate in the first place. Soon he succeeded in getting Stowell to end the project. ^[22]Newell and Avery, Mormon Enigma, p. 17.

When Josiah Stowell abandoned the digging enterprise, Emma did not have to say good-bye to Joseph, for Stowell hired him as a farmhand and to cut timber.^[23]Marietta Colwell to Wilford C. Wood, 19 October 1946, Wilford C. Wood collection, microfilm, LDS Archives. The letter says, “It was here that the Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith boarded and lived while … Continue reading He crossed the Susquehanna River to visit her. Probably acutely conscious of the difference between his education and Emma’s, Joseph found time to go to school while he lived at the Stowells’. When Josiah did not have work for him he traveled three miles along the river to Colesville to work for Joseph Knight, who thought Joseph was “the best hand he ever hired.”^[24]Larry E. Morris, The Knight and Whitmer Families. Revelations in Context.

Joseph Smith told his parents that he was smitten with Emma practically from the moment he met her. ^[25]Turley and Chapman, Women of Faith, p. 350. See also: Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 362-63. During the next two years as he courted Emma, he attended school in the area. As he continued to improve his education and court Emma, her parents told Emma of their disapproval of Joseph as a marriage possibility. “My folks were bitterly opposed to him,” Emma recalled.^[26]Smith [III], “Last Testimony of Sister Emma,” 289. See Turley and Chapman, Women of Faith, p. 351.

As his reason for refusing to consent to her marriage, Emma’s father listed his concern that Joseph was a “stranger.”^[27]Turley and Chapman, p. 351. He also disapproved of Joseph’s profession, which he left unstated but may have meant Joseph’s involvement in the search for a silver mine by his home, which is ironic due to the fact that Isaac Hale was directly involved and stood to benefit from the entire operation.^[28]Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, ed. Dean C. Jessee, rev. ed. Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 2002, p. 238; Joseph Smith-History 1.58, Pearl of Great Price.

Marriage to Emma

Joseph “importuned her” and “aided by Mr. Stowell, who urged me to marry him, and preferring to marry him to any other man I knew, I consented.”^[29]Smith [III], “Last Testimony of Sister Emma,” p. 289.

Joseph and Emma eloped on January 18, 1827. Emma left behind all her possessions and moved from her comfortable home in Harmony, Pennsylvania to go and live with Joseph and his family in their frame home in Palmyra, 120 miles away.^[30]The Smith family frame home was completed after Alvin’s death in 1823. See: Smith Family Frame Home, Manchester, New York (near Palmyra).  Elder George Albert Smith purchased the … Continue reading Emma returned to retrieve her possessions December 1827, when she and Joseph returned to live next to her parents in Harmony, Pennsylvania.

Emma Assists Joseph in Translation

Emma was with Joseph when he obtained the plates on September 21, 1827.

Emma not only helped in translation as scribe, she also took responsibility for the safety of the record.^[31]Turley and Chapman, p. 353. While Joseph and Emma lived in Harmony in her father’s home, Isaac would not allow the plates to be in his home if he could not view them, so Joseph kept them safely hid in woods until he and Emma were able to purchase the home of her brother Jesse, which was just across the road from the home of her parents.^[32]Turley and Chapman, p. 355.

Emma relates that Joseph could “neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter; let alone dictating a book like the Book of Mormon,” and she worked as Joseph’s scribe over the winter of 1828.^[33]Ibid., 355. 

Casey Griffiths’ experience with Rachel Killebrew, archivist with The Community of Christ:

The main message that every single one of these people was trying to convey was that this was not a normal translation process, that it was miraculous. That it wasn’t Joseph learning an ancient language and using his intellect, that it was a miracle that occurred. In fact, let me share something with you really fast. I do interfaith work with Community of Christ and they hold a lot of the papers that belong to the Smith family, specially Emma Smith. Well, one day I was working in their archives and their archivist Rachel Killebrew, pulled out this set of papers that were Joseph Smith’s the third’s last interview with Emma Smith. They were the actual paper… She let me take photographs. It’s Joseph the third’s notes in pencil on this scratch paper, as he’s asking his mom questions. She asked him, “Who were the scribes?: She lists of the scribes, Joseph, Oliver, Alvin Hill. She mentions the Whitmers. Did Sidney Rigdon write the book? She goes, “Sidney Rigdon never showed up to our house until a year after Book of Mormon was written.” I never saw him. I never met him.” And then at the end, he sits down with her and says, “Just tell me, do you think that dad could have made this up?” This is exactly what he writes on the page in his notes. That Emma said, “My belief is that the Book of Mormon is of divine authenticity. I have not the slightest doubt of it. I am satisfied that no man could have dictated the writings of the manuscript unless he was inspired for when acting as a scribe, your father would dictate to me hour after hour. And when returning after meals or after interruptions, he could have once begin where he left off, without either seeing the manuscript or having any portion of it read to him.^[34]Casey Griffiths related his experience of reading Joseph Smith III’s writing on a podcast Follow Him, episode 8, part 1 on 2.13.21. See also: Emma Smith, in “Last Testimony of Sister … Continue reading

Joseph did not even know that Jerusalem had walls around it and had to spell out the word Sarah, as he could not pronounce this word.^[35]Turley and Chapman, p. 356.

The loss of Alvin… and 5 other children

Just after Martin Harris left with what many have called the “116 pages,” Emma had her first child, Alvin. He died the same hour he was born.^[36]The Papers of Joseph Smith, ed. Dean C. Jessee, 2 vols. Deseret Book, 1989-92, 1:16. Alvin would be the first of many children that Emma and Joseph would lose.

Thadeus and Louisa died in Ohio on the day they were born- April 30, 1831.^[37]Joni Wilson, Emma’s Enduring Compassion: A Personal Reflection, The John Whitmer Historical Association Journal , 1999, Vol. 19 (1999), pp. 43-61. She would later lose her adopted son Joseph Murdock in 1832, another son Don Carlos (born June 13, 1840), died Sept. 15, 1841- he lived just 14 months. She had a stillborn son who died on Feb. 6, 1842.

So of her 11 children, just 5 would live to adulthood, and only four of her children would outlive her.

Emma’s 5 children that lived to adulthood

Julia Murdock Smith – born April 30, 1831- died September 12, 1880

Joseph Smith III – born Nov. 6, 1832 – died Dec. 10, 1914

Frederick Granger Williams Smith – born June 20, 1836 – died at 25 years old on April 13, 1862

Alexander Hale Smith – born June 2, 1838 – died August 12, 1909

David Hyrum Smith – born Nov. 17, 1844 – died Aug. 29, 1904.

Emma’s Baptism

Emma was baptized on June 28, 1830, and before she and the other converts could be confirmed, Joseph was arrested for disorderly conduct and taken from Colesville to South Bainbridge, about 30 miles away for trial.^[38]Constable Ebenezer Hatch arrested Smith on June 30, 1830, held him over night, and brought him before Justice Joseph P. Chamberlin on a charge of being a disorderly person. Joseph Smith was … Continue reading Because of Joseph’s arrest, Emma was not confirmed until two months after her own baptism.^[39]Emma was eventually confirmed in August 1830. See: Jannalee Sandau, 10 Things you didn’t know about Emma Smith, LDS Living, June 20, 2019. Though Joseph was acquitted, this caused Emma much anxiety.^[40]Turley and Chapman, p. 352.

Emma’s Constant Struggle

Emma seemed to always have to move, due to the persecution the Church and specifically, Joseph was facing. Emma lived in Harmony from 1804-27, then to the frame home of Joseph’s parents Jan-Dec 1827, then back to Harmony to her parent’s home, then to Jesse’s small frame home across the road until June 1829. In June 1829, Emma lives in the Peter Whitmer home, then returned there again in the fall of 1830 while the Book of Mormon manuscript was completed. She then left to move to Ohio, living in the upstairs apartment above the Newel K. Whitney store in early 1831 and returning again in September 1832 for a few years. From there she moved to the John Johnson farm in Hiram, Ohio. Then she moved back to Kirtland to share the homes of friends willing to assist. She then moved to Far West, Missouri in March 1838. There she remained until February 1839, where she was essentially forced to leave in the winter to head to Quincy, Illinois, as the Saints were expelled from the state of Missouri under the direction of Governor Bogg’s order. This is about a dozen different moves to different homes in about as many years, during which time she was pregnant five times^[41]Emma’s Compassion, p. 44., buried four children, and cared for four toddlers during the majority of this time. Emma Smith was an amazing woman living in extraordinary times, witnessing some of the most amazing miracles while also experiencing some of the lowest lows any mother could possibly experience.

Emma crossed the Mississippi river on foot with four children in the middle of winter 1839

While Joseph was in jail, Emma made the decision to flee with the rest of the Saints to Quincy. In order to do so, she crossed the frozen Mississippi river with two children clinging to her skirts and two in her arms. Joseph had been translating the Bible before he was imprisoned, and Emma also carried these documents with her, hidden in bags under her skirts.^[42]Sandau, 10 Things you didn’t know.

The Nauvoo Years

The year after her father Isaac Hale died (Jan. 1839), in 1840, Emma wrote to her estranged family through a letter written by her nephew Lorenzo Wasson, son of her sister Elizabeth Hale Wasson. While visiting Illinois, Lorenzo went to see Emma, and his heart was softened upon visiting with her. He wrote that his entire life he had been raised to believe incorrect things about “Uncle Joseph, having an ‘unprovoked prejudice against him.’”^[43]Turley and Chapman, p. 361.

Lorenzo Wasson eventually joined the church and served a mission. From his letters to family, we learn that many other members of Emma’s family eventually did come live in the region but not in Nauvoo. We read that “Neither Emma nor Joseph harbored ill feelings for the harsh treatment they had received from Emma’s family, and not long after Joseph was killed, Emma’s oldest brother Jesse, wrote to Emma, seeking to make amends.”^[44]Turley and Chapman, p. 361.

Jesse Hale wrote:

“My grey hairs and the failing of my eyesight and many other things admonish me that my time is fast haistninng to a close and that my obligations should all be fulfilled so far as I am able. I have received favors from you which I believe were bestowed from the pure motive of regard and friendship and it would be vile in me not to acknowledge them as such. I shall not soon forget them neither shall I forget the verry friendly visit we received from Joseph Smith and his family one year ago last summer. The lively interest your husband manifested at that time in our welfare… evinced a friendship unexpected and his memory will long be cherished.”^[45]Jesse Hale to Emma Hale Smith, March 30, 1845, photocopy of holograph, Church History Library. See: Turley and Chapman, Women of Faith, p. 362.

Emma served dinner to the governor of Illinois on the day of Joseph’s murder

According to Emma’s great-great-granddaughter, Gracia N. Jones, Governor Thomas Ford and 60 of his men were dining in the Nauvoo Mansion House at 5:00 p.m. on June 27, 1844—the approximate hour of Joseph and Hyrum’s martyrdom. Emma did not learn about their deaths until 10:00 p.m. that same evening.^[46]Sandau, 10 Things.

The irony of this event cannot be overlooked. Knowing that at the time of the death of her husband Emma was caring for the very men that should have protected him is paradoxical. Elder Neal A. Maxwell put it this way:

A good friend, who knows whereof he speaks, has observed of trials, “If it’s fair, it is not a true trial!” That is, without the added presence of some inexplicableness and some irony and injustice, the experience may not stretch us or lift us sufficiently. The crucifixion of Christ was clearly the greatest injustice in human history, but the Savior bore up under it with majesty and indescribable valor.^[47]Elder Neal A. Maxwell, All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience, Deseret Book, 2007. This quote is in chapter 3 “The Fellowship of His Sufferings.” Earlier in the chapter Elder Maxwell … Continue reading

Emma’s Last Blessing

Tradition says that just before Joseph returned to Carthage, Emma asked him for a blessing. The Prophet told her he didn’t have time just then to give her a blessing, but for her to write the best blessing she could and he would sign it when he returned. A typescript copy of the blessing she wrote exists although the original has not been found. While it cannot be proven authentic, most scholars accept it as her work. The sentiments are drawn from the revelations, reflecting a great deal of consideration and heartfelt desire to draw upon words Joseph had used. Emma wrote:

First of all that I would crave as the richest of heaven’s blessings would be wisdom from my Heavenly Father bestowed daily, so that whatever I might do or say, I would not look back at the close of the day with regret, nor neglect the performance of any act that would bring a blessing.  I desire the spirit of God to know and understand myself that I might be able to overcome whatever Tradition or nature that would not tend to my exaltation in the eternal worlds.  I desire a fruitful, active mind, that I may be able to comprehend the designs of God, when revealed through His Servants without doubting.  I desire the spirit of discernment, which is one of the blessings of the Holy Ghost.

I particularly wisdom to bring up all the children that are, or may be committed to my charge, in such a manner that they will be useful ornaments in the Kingdom of God, and in the coming day rise up and call me blessed.

I desire prudence that I may not through ambition abuse my body and cause it to be prematurely old and care-worn, but that I may wear a cheerful countenance, live to perform all the work I covenanted to perform in the spirit-world and be a blessing to all who may in any wise need aught at my hands.

I desire with all my heart to honor and respect my husband as my head, to ever live in his confidence and by acting in unison with him to retain the place which God has given me by his side… I desire to see my kindred and friend embrace the principles of Eternal Truth, that I may rejoice with them in the blessings which God has in store for all who are willing to be obedient to His requirements.

Finally, I desire that whatever may be my lot through life I may be enabled to acknowledge the hand of God in all things.

These desires of my heart were called forth by Joseph sending me word… that he had not time to write as he would like, but I could write out the best blessing I could think of and he would sign the same on his return.^[48]Gracia M. Jones, Emma and Joseph: Their Divine Mission, Covenant Communications, p. 295-296.

Emma and Lewis Bidamon

Lewis Bidamon, a man from a German family of Methodist background, born in West Virginia, moved to Ohio when he was 14, and when he was 21, married Nancy Sebree. In 1829 he fathered another child, a daughter – Almira Smith Siggart, but his wife was not the mother. Later Bidamon and his wife moved to Canton, Illinois, where two more daughters were born into the family, and Nancy died of unknown causes. In 1842, Lewis married a widow, Mary Ann Douglas, but the marriage only last six months, ending in divorce. The widow thought Lewis was wealthy due to his business dealings. He owned an iron foundry in Canton, and later a match manufacturing business. He also worked for the Warsaw and Rockford Railroad and started a sugar cane mill in Nauvoo, among other ventures.^[49]See: Emma’s Enduring Compassion, p. 47-48.

Bidamon was described as “a fine-looking man, six feet tall, with a high forehead and splendid bearing. He usually dressed very well.”^[50]Mary Audentia Smith Anderson, editor, Joseph Smith III and the Restoration (Independence, Missouri: Herald House, 1952), 94. See: Emma’s Compassion, p. 48. There were several accounts … Continue reading

Emma Smith married Lewis C. Bidamon on Joseph Smith’s birthday on December 23, 1847.^[51]Throughout the summer and fall of 1847 Emma continued to see Lewis Bidamon, who eventually proposed marriage. As his grandchildren later heard the story, he stated simply, “You are alone and I am … Continue reading

Emma’s marriage to Lewis was not highly looked upon by many of the Mormons struggling to get across the plains and establish Zion in the Great Basin under the leadership of Brigham Young, president of the Quorum of the Twelve.^[52]Sarah M. Kimball, still in Nauvoo, gossiped in a letter to Nancy Marinda Hyde at Council Bluffs: The marriage of Mrs. Smith is the all-absorbing topic of conversation. She was married last … Continue reading

Lewis’ “Other Woman”

Emma would be married to Bidamon for years, from 1847 until her death April 30, 1879, a period of just over 31 years. When they married Emma was 44 and Lewis 41. During his marriage to Emma, Bidamon would father a child with another woman that Emma would raise as her own. Nancy O. Perryman Brooks Abercrombie was born in Kentucky on 16 November, 1828. She was married at 17 to William Brooks, after which she had a child, William Jr. The marriage either failed or William Brooks died, and then she married William Abercrombie. In 1852 Nancy and Abercrombie have a daughter before Abercrombie dies in 1852. So at this point Nancy has had two children and husbands, and is unmarried. She is described as “petite with dark hair and eyes, a soft voice and a self-effacing manner. A sweet woman, although a little shy.”^[53]Emma’s Enduring Compassion, p. 56. Nancy moved to Sonora Township near Nauvoo with Thomas and Mary Luce with her two children. While there Nancy gave birth to a daughter, Mary, on September 9, 1859. The father of the child was not identified. In the fall of 1863, Nancy was pregnant with her fourth child. The father of the child was Lewis Bidamon, the husband of Emma Smith. A son, Charles Edwin, was born on March 16, 1864. Emma and Lewis have been married just over 16 years. Emma just turned 61 in July of that year, and Lewis was 58, while Nancy was just over 35.^[54]Emma’s Enduring Compassion, p. 56.

Wilson relates the following:

“While [Emma] left no record of her personal feelings, her subsequent actions indicate that with personal courage she accepted the facts of life as they existed and did not dwell on them with rancor.” In 1868, Nancy was unable to care for the son that Lewis Bidamon had fathered and asked Emma to take care of him. Emma agreed and four years later asked Nancy to be housekeeper, probably so she could be closer to her eight-year-old son. No mention is made of Nancy’s other children. The two oldest would have been twenty- three and eighteen years of age in 1 868. However, Mary would have been nine and still in need of care. In 1879, Emma was dying of old age. “In an extraordinary act of compassion,” she asked Lewis and Nancy to marry after her death to provide proper parentage for Charles. It was probably also out of concern for the aging Lewis. Emma died on 30 April 1879. Lewis and Nancy married a little over a year later. He was married to Nancy from the age of seventy-four until he was eighty-five. Lewis Bidamon died on 11 February 1891, and was buried near the Old Homestead next to Emma.^[55]Ibid.

Emma always treated Charles as if he was her own son

As an adult, Charles Bidamon recalled that Emma “was a person of very even temper. I never heard her say an unkind word, or raise her voice in anger or contention. … A noble woman, living and showing charity for all, loving and beloved.”

Several reports on Emma’s character mention Charles. All of these people were residents of Nauvoo and intimately acquainted with the family. Some of the thoughts were: “Her stepson, Charles (Eddie) , thought well of her.” “She also raised Eddie (Charles Edwin) her step-son and made a good mother to him.” “She was good to Eddie Bidamon, her stepson.” A printed statement attested to Emma’s character:

[T] here was a bell in the cupola on the Nauvoo House and it had a rope running down by the side of the stairs. During the storm the lightning struck the building and the charge ran down the rope and split the floor. Eddie Bidamon was in the closet under the stairs and was struck by it. Emma was as calm when she picked him up and examined him to see how badly he was hurt, she was so kind about it and so thankful when she found that he wasn’t badly hurt. She never seemed to get upset about anything.^[56]Charlotte Stevenson, (21 July 1940), P21 f73, RLDS. See: Emma’s Compassion.

Emma takes in Lucy Mack Smith

In addition to caring for the children, Emma’s first husband’s mother, Lucy Mack Smith, moved into the household in 1851. What an incredible act of “human compassion” for Emma to invite Lucy to live with the family and care for her. Lucy had been living with her son William and had become more frail so she moved in with Emma and lived there until she died on 14 May 1856. Lucy paid this tribute to Emma:

“I have never seen a woman in my life, who would endure every species of fatigue and hardship, from month to month, and from year to year, with that unflinching courage, zeal, and patience, which she has ever done; for I know that which she has had to endure – she has been tossed upon the ocean of uncertainty – she has breasted the storms of persecution, and buffeted the rage of men and devils, which would have borne down almost any other woman.”^[57]Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith by His Mother (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1956), 190-191.

Emma’s last dream – A visit from Joseph

Emma lived almost thirty-five years after the martyrdom of her Prophet-husband. She died 30 April 1879 in her seventy-fifth year. In her last years she was greatly loved, and in the last hours of her life she was attended by her family: Louis Bidamon, Julia, Joseph III, and Alexander. According to Alexander, Emma seemed to sink away, but then she raised up and stretched out her hand, calling, “Joseph! Joseph!” Falling back on Alexander’s arm, she clasped her hands on her bosom, and her spirit was gone. Both Alexander and Joseph thought she was calling for her son Joseph, but later, Alexander learned more about the incident. Sister Elizabeth Revel, Emma’s nurse, explained that a few days earlier Emma had told her that Joseph came to her in a vision and said, “Emma, come with me, it is time for you to come with me.” “As Emma related it, she said, ‘I put on my bonnet and my shawl and went with him; I did not think that it was anything unusual. I went with him into a mansion, and he showed me through the different apartments of that beautiful mansion.’ And one room was the nursery. In that nursery was a babe in the cradle. She said, ‘I knew my babe, my Don Carlos that was taken from me.’ She sprang forward, caught the child up in her arms, and wept with joy over the child. When Emma recovered herself sufficient she turned to Joseph and said, ‘Joseph, where are the rest of my children.’ He said to her, ‘Emma, be patient and you shall have all of your children.’ Then she saw standing by his side a personage of light, even the Lord Jesus Christ.^[58]Gracia N. Jones, My Great-Great Grandmother, Emma Hale Smith, August Ensign, 1992.

Milestones in the Life of Emma Hale Smith

10 July 1804
Born at Harmony, Pennsylvania.

18 Jan 1827
Marries Joseph Smith, Jr., at South Bainbridge, New York.

15 Jun 1828
Son Alvin is born and dies; buried at Harmony.

28 Jun 1830
Emma baptized at Colesville, New York.

Aug 1830
Emma confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Jan 1831
Emma’s last farewell to her parents.

2 Feb 1831
Arrival at Kirtland, Ohio.

30 Apr 1831
Twins are born and die at Morley Settlement.

May 1831
Joseph and Emma adopt Julia and Joseph Murdock, twin infants of Joseph and Julia Murdock, after their mother dies from complications relating to childbirth.

24 Mar 1832
Joseph Smith beaten by mob at Hiram, Ohio; baby Joseph exposed to cold during mobbing.

27 Mar 1832
Joseph Murdock Smith, age ten months, dies as result of exposure.

6 Nov 1832
Son Joseph Smith III born at Kirtland, Ohio.

9 Dec 1834
Emma receives her patriarchal blessing.

1835–1836
Hymnal compiled by Emma published.

20 Jun 1836
Son Frederick Granger Williams Smith is born at Kirtland, Ohio.

Jan 1838
Smith family flees Kirtland, Ohio; travels across Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.

Feb 1838
Family crosses frozen Mississippi River into Iowa.

14 Mar 1838
Family arrives at Far West, Missouri.

2 Jun 1838
Son Alexander Hale Smith is born at Far West, Missouri.

Nov 1838
Church leaders are arrested. Joseph is imprisoned in Liberty Jail. Emma visits him three times: 8 December 1838; 20 December 1838; and 21 January 1839.

7 Feb 1839
Emma and family leave Far West, Missouri.

14 Feb 1839
Emma and children arrive at Quincy, Illinois.

22 Apr 1839
Joseph arrives at Quincy after nearly six months of unjust confinement in Missouri.

9 May 1839
Smiths move to Commerce (Nauvoo), Illinois.

13 Jun 1840
Son Don Carlos is born.

15 Aug 1840
Baptism for the dead is taught by Joseph Smith; Emma is baptized soon after in the Mississippi River in behalf of her mother and sister.

7 Aug 1841
Joseph’s brother, Don Carlos, dies.

15 Aug 1841
Son Don Carlos, age fourteen months, dies.

6 Feb 1842
Birth of unnamed stillborn son.

17 Mar 1842
Relief Society is organized; Emma chosen as president.

Summer/Fall 1842
Joseph is in hiding. Emma and children are ill; Emma nearly dies. Joseph returns home to bless his family.

17 Aug 1842
Emma writes a letter to Governor Carlin defending Joseph.

18 Jan 1843
Grand celebration at Joseph and Emma’s home for their sixteenth wedding anniversary and his acquittal.

Spring 1843
Joseph becomes mayor of Nauvoo.

28 May 1843
Emma sealed to Joseph for eternity.

31 Aug 1843
Smiths move into the Mansion House.

By 28 Sep 1843
Emma receives her endowments.

Fall 1843
Emma supervises women’s temple ordinances October 1843 through February 1844.

17 May 1844
Joseph accepts nomination to run for president of the United States.

22 Jun 1844
Joseph is ordered to Carthage, Illinois, for hearings; faced with the prospect of certain death, Joseph crosses to Iowa side of the Mississippi River.

23 Jun 1844
Joseph and Hyrum decide to go to Carthage, Illinois.

24 Jun 1844
Emma and Joseph see each other for the last time.

27 Jun 1844
Emma serves dinner to Governor Ford and sixty of his men in Nauvoo Mansion House about 5:00 p. m. Emma learns about 10:00 p. m. that Joseph and Hyrum have been shot and killed.

17 Nov 1844
Son David Hyrum Smith is born.

Feb 1846
Emma remains in Nauvoo when Saints go west.

12 Sep 1846
Emma leaves with her family as mobbers invade Nauvoo; she goes to Fulton, Illinois, then returns four months later.

23 Dec 1847
Emma marries “Major” Louis C. Bidamon.^[59]Other historical sources refer to the spelling of his name as Lewis Bidamon.

1856
Emma takes in orphaned Elizabeth Agnes Kendall, eight years old, and rears her as her own daughter.^[60]Latter-day Saint widow Elizabeth Kendall and her family first became acquainted with Emma at the Mansion House in Nauvoo. Her family stayed behind after the Saints went West, and Elizabeth eventually … Continue reading

14 May 1856
Lucy Mack Smith dies, having spent the last three years of her life in Emma’s care.

22 Oct 1856
Joseph III marries Emmeline Griswold.

1857
Emma’s nephew Samuel H. B. Smith visits her.

13 Sep 1857
Son Frederick Granger Williams Smith marries Annie Marie Jones.

6 Apr 1860
Son Joseph III becomes president of RLDS.

23 Jun 1861
Son Alexander Hale Smith marries Elizabeth Agnes Kendall.

13 Apr 1862
Son Frederick Granger Williams Smith dies.

1866
Emma gives Joseph’s revision of Bible to Joseph III to print.

About 1870
Emma begins caring for Charles, six-year-old son of Louis Bidamon and Nancy Abercrombie.

10 May 1870
Son David Hyrum marries Clara C. Hartshorn.

1871
Emma and family move into rebuilt Nauvoo House, later renamed Riverside Mansion.

1875
Emma’s sons leave Nauvoo; Alexander moves to northern Missouri, and Joseph III moves to Iowa.

1877
Emma’s adopted daughter, Julia, suffering from cancer and deserted by her husband, comes to live with Emma.

17 Jan 1877
Emma’s son David Hyrum committed to Illinois State Asylum.

Feb 1879
Last testimony given by Emma in an interview with her sons. Emma testifies that Joseph Smith was a prophet, relates her experience with the Book of Mormon, testifies of her belief in the divine origin of the Book of Mormon.

30 Apr 1879
Emma dies in her seventy-fifth year, on the anniversary of the death of her Kirtland twins.^[61]Jones, My Great-Great Grandmother, Ensign, 1992.

D&C 26.1 The Coleville Saints

Colesville, New York, is about twenty miles north of Harmony, Pennsylvania. The branch of the Church there consisted mainly of the Joseph and Newel Knight families, but there were other interested persons in the area.

D&C 26.2 Common Consent

No person can hold a position of authority in the kingdom of God upon the earth without the consent of the members of the branch, ward, stake, or Church over whom they will preside (see D&C 20:65; 28:13). This principle of common consent is manifested in the sustaining vote asked of the members whenever someone is proposed for a position of authority over them. The Church is the Church “of Jesus Christ,” and so, unquestionably, it belongs to him. But the Church is also “of Latter-day Saints,” and so as members it is collectively our Church, too, and we have a sustaining voice.^[62]H. Dean Garrett and Stephen E. Robinson, Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants, Vol. 1. Deseret Book, 2000., p. 175.

One purpose for the practice of taking a sustaining vote is to protect the members against appointments made by leaders who may not be aware of pertinent facts concerning the individuals proposed. Sustaining also places the membership of the Church, collectively, in a position of governance and gives them a veto power when their voice is combined. No single individual can stop a proposed action without accurate information that raises serious questions of worthiness, but all objections will be heard and considered for merit. Should a majority of the Saints refuse to sustain a name or a proposed action, it must be withdrawn.^[63]Ibid., Garrett and Robinson, Commentary volume 1. As Elder Charles W. Penrose once stated: “The voice of the people should respond to the voice of the Lord. It is the voice of the Lord and the voice of the people together in this Church that sanctions all things therein. In the rise of the Church the Lord gave a revelation which said that ‘all things shall be done by common consent.’ And the Lord designs that every individual member shall take an interest therein, shall bear a part of the responsibility, and shall take upon him or her the spirit of the Church, and be an active living member of the body.”^[64]Charles Penrose, Journal of Discourses, 21:45–46. He continues: It is designed that this Church shall be alive in its parts; that every individual particle shall be influenced by the … Continue reading

Common Consent Does Not Make a Democracy

The principle of common consent does not, however, create a democracy, for the members do not nominate individuals or propose actions. These are entirely prerogatives of priesthood leadership. But the Church must collectively agree to all that binds them and to all who preside over them. This is a basic law of heaven. “The priesthood selects, under the inspiration of our Father in heaven, and then it is the duty of the Latter-day Saints, as they are assembled in conference, or other capacity, by the uplifted hand, to sustain or to reject; and I take it that no man has the right to raise his hand in opposition, or with contrary vote, unless he has a reason for doing so that would be valid if presented before those who stand at the head. In other words, I have no right to raise my hand in opposition to a man who is appointed to any position in this Church, simply because I may not like him, or because of some personal disagreement or feeling I may have, but only on the grounds that he is guilty of wrong doing, of transgression of the laws of the Church which would disqualify him for the position which he is called to hold.”^[65]Charles Penrose, Journal of Discourses, 21:45–46. He continues: It is designed that this Church shall be alive in its parts; that every individual particle shall be influenced by the … Continue reading