Meridian Magazine :: The Revised and Enhanced History of Joseph Smith by His Mother

The Revised and Enhanced History of Joseph Smith by His Mother
Edited by Scot Facer Proctor and Maurine Jensen Proctor

Chapter 33

Legal organization of the Church at the home of Peter Whitmer Sr. in Fayette, New York. Joseph’s parents are baptized. Samuel Harrison Smith called on a mission to surrounding area. An account of his challenges. He meets with John P. Greene.

April 1830 to July 1830

During the fall and winter we held no meetings, because of the plotting schemes of the people against us, but in the spring, about the first of April of the same year in which the Book of Mormon was published, Joseph came from Pennsylvania and preached to us several times. My husband and Martin Harris were baptized. Joseph stood on the shore when his father came out of the water, and as he took him by the hand he cried out, “Praise to my God! I have lived to see my own father baptized into the true Church of Jesus Christ,” and covered his face in his father’s bosom and wept aloud for joy as did Joseph of old when he beheld his father coming up into the land of Egypt. [1] This took place on the sixth of April, 1830, the day on which the Church was organized. [2]

Shortly after this, my sons were all ordained to the ministry, even Don Carlos, who was but fourteen years of age. Samuel was directed to take a number of the Books of Mormon and go on a mission to Livonia, [3] to preach and make sale of the books, if possible. Whilst he was making preparations to go on this mission, Miss Almira Mack arrived in Manchester from Pontiac. This young woman was a daughter of my brother Stephen Mack, whose history I have already given. She received the gospel as soon as she heard it, and was baptized immediately, and has ever since remained a faithful member of the Church.

On the thirtieth of June, [4] Samuel started on the mission to which he had been set apart by Joseph, and in traveling twenty-five miles, which was his first day’s journey, he stopped at a number of places in order to sell his books, but was turned out of doors as soon as he declared his principles. When evening came on, he was faint and almost discouraged, [5] but coming to an inn, which was surrounded with every appearance of plenty, he called to see if the landlord would buy one of his books. On going in, Samuel inquired of him, if he did not wish to purchase a history of the origin of the Indians.

“I do not know,” replied the host; “how did you get hold of it?”

“It was translated,” rejoined Samuel, “by my brother, from some gold plates that he found buried in the earth.”

“You liar!” cried the landlord. “Get out of my house — you shan’t stay one minute with your books.”

Samuel was sick at heart, for this was the fifth time he had been turned out of doors that day. He left the house and traveled a short distance and washed his feet in a small brook, as a testimony against the man. He then proceeded five miles further on his journey, and seeing an apple tree a short distance from the road, he concluded to pass the night under it; and here he lay all night upon the cold, damp ground. In the morning, he arose from his comfortless bed, and observing a small cottage at no great distance, he drew near, hoping to get a little refreshment. The only inmate was a widow, who seemed very poor. He asked her for food, relating the story of his former treatment. She prepared him victuals, and, after eating, he explained to her the history of the Book of Mormon. She listened attentively and believed all that he told her, but, in consequence of her poverty, she was unable to purchase one of the books. He presented her with one and proceeded to Bloomington, which was eight miles further.

Here he stopped at the house of John P. Greene, [6] who was a Methodist preacher and was at that time about starting on a preaching mission. He, like the others, did not wish to make a purchase of what he considered at that time to be a nonsensical fable; however, he said that he would take a subscription paper, and if he found anyone on his route who was disposed to purchase, he would take his name, and in two weeks Samuel might call again and he would let him know what the prospect was of selling. [7] After making this arrangement, Samuel left one of his books with him, and returned home. At the time appointed, Samuel started again for the Reverend John P. Greene’s, in order to learn the success which this gentleman had met with in finding sale for the Book of Mormon. This time, Mr. Smith and myself accompanied him, and it was our intention to have passed near the tavern where Samuel was so abusively treated a fortnight previous, but just before we came to the house, a sign of smallpox intercepted us. We turned aside, and meeting a citizen of the place, we inquired of him, to what extent this disease prevailed. He answered that the tavern keeper and two of his family had died with it not long since, but he did not know that anyone else had caught the disease, and that it was brought into the neighborhood by a traveler who stopped at the tavern overnight.

This is a specimen of the peculiar disposition of some individuals, who would sacrifice their soul’s salvation rather than give a Saint of God a meal of victuals. [8] According to the word of God, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah, in the Day of Judgment, than for such persons.

We arrived at Esquire Beaman’s, in Livonia, that night. The next morning Samuel took the road to Mr. Greene’s, and, finding that he had made no sale of the books, we returned home the following day.

Notes

[1] It appears from Joseph Knight’s record that Joseph Smith Sr. and Martin Harris were baptized on the Smith farm at Manchester (therefore not on the actual day of the legal formation of the Church). Knight recorded: “We went home to [Joseph’s] father’s and Martin with us. Martin stayed at his father’s and slept in a bed on the floor with me... I stayed a few days waiting for some Books [of Mormon] to be bound. Joseph said there must be a church built up. I had been there several days. Old Mr. Smith and Martin Harris came forward to be baptized... They found a place in a lot a small stream ran through, and they were baptized in the evening because of persecution. They went forward and was baptized, being the first I saw baptized in the new and everlasting covenant... There was one thing I will mention that evening that old Brother Smith and Martin Harris was baptized. Joseph was filled with the Spirit to a great degree... he burst out with ... joy and seemed as though the world could not hold him. He went out into the lot and appeared to want to get out of sight of everybody and would sob and cry and seemed to be so full that he could not live. Oliver and I went after him and came to him and after a while he came in. But he was the most wrought upon that I ever saw any man… His joy seemed to be full.” (Dean Jessee, “Joseph Knight’s Recollection of Early Mormon History,” BYU Studies 17 [Autumn 1976]: 37.) George A. Smith seems to have agreed that Joseph Sr. was not baptized on the day of the organization of the Church, for he crossed out the reference to this date in his marked copy of the 1853 Biographical Sketches (see George A. Smith, Edited 1853, p. 151). It is worthy of note that George A. Smith made no textual changes (save it be genealogical data in chapter 9 of the 1853 edition) until this chapter (current chapter 33) (see George A. Smith, Edited 1853, pp. 1-151). It is possible that the baptism took place on the evening of April 6. Apparently Lucy herself was baptized on the same occasion that her husband was. (See History of the Church 1:79; Bushman, Beginnings, pp. 144, 237.)

[2] There are several extant lists attempting to document those comprising the original six founding members of the Church, not all of them corresponding to each other. From the records of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Joseph Knight Jr., and David Whitmer, Richard Lloyd Anderson has identified at least seven lists. William E. McLellin also gives a list. Traditionally, the six were: Oliver Cowdery, Joseph Smith Jr., Hyrum Smith, Peter Whitmer Jr., Samuel H. Smith, and David Whitmer. McLellin is the only one to include Lucy Mack Smith among the original six. (See Papers, p. 241.) In the 1839 draft of Joseph’s history, he recorded concerning this day: “We had received commandment to organize the Church, and accordingly we met together... and proceeded as follows at the house of the above-mentioned Mr. Whitmer — Having opened the meeting by solemn prayer to our Heavenly Father... I proceeded to lay my hands upon Oliver Cowdery — and ordained him an Elder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, after which he ordained me… We then took bread, blessed it, and brake it with them; also wine, blessed it, and drank it with them. We then laid our hands on each individual member of the Church present, to confirm them members of the Church of Jesus Christ, and that they might receive the Holy Ghost, when immediately the Holy Ghost was poured out upon us all [what follows was all crossed out in the original] in a miraculous manner... Many spoke with new tongues, and some several of our number were so completely overpowered for a time, that we were obliged to lay them upon beds…, and when bodily sensibility was restored to them they shouted hosannas to God and the Lamb, and declared that the heavens had been opened unto them, …that they had seen Jesus Christ sitting at the right hand of the Majesty on high, and many other great and glorious things.” (Papers, pp. 241, 242-43.)

[3] Livonia, New York, is a little over fifty miles west of Fayette.

[4] Though he had already been involved in missionary activities, Samuel started on this mission twelve weeks after the Church was organized in Fayette and is generally given credit for being the first missionary of the Church. However, Solomon Chamberlain, a resident of Lyons, New York, had heard of the Book of Mormon in 1829 and, being led by the Spirit, came to the Smith home. He entered the house and asked, “Is there any one here that believes in visions or revelations?” Hyrum replied, “Yes, we are a visionary house.” Solomon explained to them that an angel had revealed to him “that all churches and denominations on the earth had become corrupt ... but that [God] would shortly raise up a Church, that would never be confounded nor brought down and be like unto the Apostolic Church.” He then asked if they could make known to him any of their discoveries. He recorded: “Now the Lord revealed to me by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost that this was the work I had been looking for.” Hyrum took Solomon to the Grandin press and pulled the first sixty-four pages of the Book of Mormon that had been printed and gave them to him. He immediately took leave to Canada and preached the gospel by the way to “both high and low, rich and poor.” Solomon continued: “And thus you see this was the first that ever printed Mormonism was preached to this generation.” Solomon Chamberlain was baptized by the Prophet Joseph and remained faithful all his days. He died in Washington County, Utah, on March 26, 1862. (See Porter, “Origins,” pp. 360-64.)

[5] In her Early Notebook, dictated to Martha Jane Coray, Mother Smith states that “he had not eat[en] anything since he left home” (Early Notebook, p. 27).

[6] John P. Greene was born in 1793 in Herkimer County, New York. He married Rhoda Young (Brigham’s sister) and was living in Mendon at the time of Samuel’s visit.

[7] In her Early Notebook Lucy states one reason why John Greene did this: “He was willing to do any one a kindness” (Early Notebook, p. 31).

[8] In her Early Notebook, Mother Smith comments: “He purchased his death for a few shillings, but sacrificed his soul’s salvation” (Early Notebook, p. 33).

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Notes

[1] In the Preliminary Manuscript Lucy does not mention the visit of God the Father and Jesus Christ to her son Joseph. Joseph did state, however, in his 1835 recital of the First Vision: “I saw many angels in this vision” (in Milton V. Backman Jr., Joseph Smith’s First Vision, 2d ed. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1980], p. 159).

[2] In the March 10, 1830, session records of the Western Presbyterian Church in Palmyra, it is stated that “the committee appointed to visit Hyrum Smith, Lucy Smith, and Samuel Harrison Smith reported that they had visited them and received no satisfaction. They acknowledged that they had entirely neglected the ordinances of the church for the last eighteen months and that they did not wish to unite with us anymore. Whereupon resolved that they be cited to appear before the session on the 24th day of March inst. at 2:00 p.m. at the meetinghouse to answer to the following charge, to wit: neglect of public worship and the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper for the last eighteen months.” The committee appointed one P. West to summon Lucy, Hyrum, and Samuel to appear before the session on March 24, 1830, but to no avail. They were thereafter “censured for their contumacy” and “suspended from the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.” (Session records, Presbyterian church, microfilm, LDS Church Archives. See also Backman, First Vision, pp. 182–83.)