DOCSLIB.ORG

Nauvoo Expositor, June 7, 1844

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Nauvoo Expositor, June 7, 1844 Nauvoo Expositor NAUVOO, ILLINOIS, JUNE 7, 1844. We give th is week to th e follow ing Pream ble, his atributes [sic]. It speaks a language which is heard Resolutions and Affidavits, of the Seceders from the amidst the roar of A rtill ery , as w ell as in the silence Church at N auvoo.-- T he r equ est is complied with of m idn igh t: i t spe ak s a language understood by the on account of their deeming it very important that incarcerated spirit, as wel l as he w ho is unfettered the pu blic sh ou ld k no w the tr ue cause of their and free; yet to those who w ill not see, it is dark, dissenting, as all manner of falsehood is spread my steriou s, and secret as th e grave. abroad in rel ati on to th e sch ism in th e C hu rch . In We believe that all men, professing to be the our subsequent numbers several affidavits will be ministers of God, should keep steadily in view, the published, to substantiate the facts alleged. Hereafter, honor and glory of God, the salvation of souls, and no further Church proceedings will appear in our the am eliorati on of man's condition: and among col um ns, except in the fo rm of brief their cardinal virtues ought to be found those of communications.--ED. faith, hope, virtue and charity; but with Joseph Smith, and many other official characters in the Pream ble. Church, they are w ords w itho ut an y meanings attached-worn as ornaments; exotics nurtured for It is with the greatest solicitude for the salvation of display; virtues which, throwing aside the existence the Human Family , and of our own souls, that we of a God, the peace, happiness, welfare, and good have this day assembled. Feign would we have order of society, require that they should be slumbered, and "like the Dove that covers and preserved pure, imm aculate and uncorroded. conceals the arrow that is preying upon its vitals," We most solemnly and sincerely declare, God this for the sake of avoiding the furious and turbulent Day being w itn ess of the t ru th and sincerity of our storm of persecution which will gather, soon to designs and statements, that happy will it be with bu rst upon ou r heads, have cover ed and concealed th ose wh o examine and scan Joseph Smith's that which, for a season, has been brooding among pretensions to righteousness; and take counsel of the ruins of our peace: but we rely upon the arm of hum an affairs, and of the experience of times gone Jehovah, the Supreme Arbiter of the world, to by. Do not y ield up tranquilly a superiority to that whom we th is day, and upon this occasion, appeal man which the reasonableness of past events, and the for the rec tit ud e of o ur inten tio ns. laws of our country declare to be pernicious and If that God w ho gave bounds to the mighty deep, diabolical. W e hope man y item s of doctrine, as now and bade the ocean cease--if that God w ho organized taught, some of which, however, are taught secretly, the physical world, and gave infinity to space, be our and denied openly, (which we know positively is the front guard and our rear ward, it is futile and vain case,)and others publicly , considerate men will treat for man to raise his puny arm against us. God will with contempt; for we declare them heretical and inspire his ministers with courage and with damnable in th eir in fluence, though they find many understanding to consummate his purposes; and, if dev otees. How shall he, who had drank of the it is necessary, he can snatch them from the fiery poisonous draft, teach virtue? In the stead th ereof, furnace, or the Lion's den; as he did anciently the when the criminal ought to plead guilty to the court, three H ebrew s from the former, and Daniel from the the court is obliged to plead guilty to the criminal. latter. We appeal to hu manity and ask, what shall we do? As for ou r acquaintance w ith the C hur ch of Jesus Shall we lie supinely and suffer ou rselves to be C hr ist of L att er D ay Sain ts, we kn ow , no m an or set metamo rphosed into beasts by the Sy ren to ngue? We of men can be more thoroughly acquainted with its amsw er that our country and our God requ ire that rise, its organization, and its history, than we have we should rectify the tree. We have called upon him every reason to believe w e are. W e all verily believe, to repent, and as soon as he shewed fruits meet for and many of us know of a surety, that the religion of repentance, we stood ready to seize him by the hand the Latter Day Saints, as originally taught by Joseph of fellowship, and throw arou nd him the mantle of Smith, which is contained in the Old and N ew protection; for it i s the salv ati on of soul s w e desi re, Testam ent s, Book of Covenants, and Book of and not our own aggrandizement. Mormon, is verily true; and that t he pu re pri ncipl es We are earnestly seeking to explode the vicious set forth in those books, are the immutable and prin ciples of Joseph Smith, an d tho se wh o practice eternal principles of Heaven, and speaks a langu age the same abominations and whoredoms; which we which, when spoken in truth and virtue, sinks deep verily kno w are not accordant and consonant with into the heart of every honest man.--Its precepts are the principles of Jesus Ch rist and the A postles; and invigo rating, and in every sense of the word, tend to for that p urp ose, and w ith that end in view , with an dignify and ennoble man's conceptions of God and eye single to the glory of God, we have dared to gird on the armo r, and w ith G od at our h ead, we m ost portion of th e glo be, as th ey supposed, to glo rify solemnly and sincerely declare that the sword of God, that they might thereby stand acquitted in the truth shall not depart from the thigh, nor the great day of God Al mighty . But what is tau ght th em buck ler from the arm, until we can enjoy th ose on their arrival at this place?- They are visited by glorious privileges which nature's God and our some of the Strikers, for we know not w hat else to country's law s have guarantied to us-freedom of call them, and are requested to hold on and be speech, the liber ty of the press, and the right to faithful, for there are great blessings awaiting the w orship God as seemeth u s good.-W e are aw are, righteous; and that God has great mysteries in store however, that we are hazarding every earthly for those wh o lov e the lord, an d cling to br other blessing, particul arl y propert y ,an d pr obabl y life Joseph. They are also notified that Brother Joseph itself, in striking this blow at tyranny and oppresion: will see them soon, and rev eal the m ysteries of yet notw ithstanding we m ost solemnly declare that H eaven to their full understanding, which seldom no man, or set of men combined, shall, with fails to inspire them with new confidence in the impunity , violate obligations as sacred as many Prophet, as w ell as a great anxiety to kn ow wh at which have been violated unless reason, justice and God has laid up in store for them, in return for the virtue have become ashamed and sought the haunts great sacrifice of father of mother, of gold and silver, of the grave, th ough our lives be th e forfeiture. which they gladly left far behind, that they might be Many of us have sought a reformation in the gathered into th e fold, and num bered among the church, without a public exposition of the chosen of God.--They are visited again, and what is enormities of cr im es pr acticed by its l eaders, the result? They are requ ested to m eet bro ther thinking that if they would hearden to counsel, and Joseph, or som e of the T welve, at som e insulated shew fruit meet for repentance, it w ould be as point, or at some particularly described palce on the acceptable with G od, as though they were expo sed bank of the Mississippi, o r at som e room , w hich to pu blic gaze, wears upon its fron t--Positively NO Admittance. The harmless, inoffensive, and unsuspecting "Fo r t he pr ivate pat h, th e secr et acts o f men, If creatu res, are so devoted to the Prophet, and the noble, for the noblest of their lives." cause of Jesus Christ, that they do not dream of the deep laid and fatal scheme which prostr ates but our petitions were treated with contempt; and in hap piness, and ren der s death itself desireable; but many cases the petitioner spurned from their they meet him, expecting to receive through him a presence and particularly by Joseph, w ho would blessing, and learn the will of the Lord concerning state that if he had sinned, and was guilty of the them , and w hat awaits the faithful follower of charges we would charge him with, he w ould not Joseph, the Apostle and Prophet of God, W hen in make acknow ledgment, but would rather be the stead thereof, th ey are told, after having been damned; for it would detract from his dignity, and sworn in on e of the m ost solem n manners, to never wou ld consequently ruin and prove the overthrow divulge what is revealed to them, with a penalty of of the Chur ch.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Essays on the Persecution of Religious Minorities by David Thomas Smith
    Essays on the Persecution of Religious Minorities by David Thomas Smith A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Political Science) in the University of Michigan 2011 Doctoral Committee: Professor William R. Clark, co-chair Professor Anna M. Grzymala-Busse, co-chair Professor Robert J. Franzese, Jr. Professor Andrei S. Markovits Professor Robert W. Mickey i Acknowledgements Throughout the last six and a half years I have benefited enormously from the mentorship and friendship of my wonderful dissertation committee members: Bill Clark, Anna Grzymala-Busse, Andy Markovits, Rob Mickey and Rob Franzese. I assembled this committee before I even knew what I wanted to write about, and I made the right choices—I cannot imagine a more supportive, patient and insightful group of advisers. They gave me badly-needed discipline when I needed it (which was all the time) and oversaw numerous episodes of Schumpeterian “creative destruction.” They also gave me more ideas than I could ever hope to assimilate, ideas which will be providing me with directions for future research for many years to come. But these huge contributions are minor in comparison to the fact that they taught me how to think like a political scientist. I couldn’t ask for anything more. All of these papers had trial runs in various internal workshops and seminars at the University of Michigan, and I profited greatly from the structured feedback that I received from the Michigan political science community, faculty and grad students alike. Thanks to everyone who was a discussant for one of these papers—Zvi Gitelman, Chuck Shipan, Sana Jaffrey, Cassie Grafstrom (twice!), Ron Inglehart, Ken Kollman, Allison Dale, Pam Brandwein, Andrea Jones-Rooy, Rob Salmond and Jenna Bednar.
    [Show full text]
  • University of Utah History 4795 Mormonism and the American Experience Fall Semester 2017 T, Th 2:00 – 3:20, WBB 617
    University of Utah History 4795 Mormonism and the American Experience Fall Semester 2017 T, Th 2:00 – 3:20, WBB 617 W. Paul Reeve CTIHB 323 585-9231 Office hours: T, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.; W, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. [email protected] Course Description: This course explores the historical development of Mormonism in an American context, from its Second Great Awakening beginnings to the beginning of the twenty-first century. It situates the founding and development of Mormonism within the contexts of American cultural, economic, social, religious, racial, and political history. A central theme is the ebb and flow over time of tension between Mormonism and broader American society. How did conflicts over Mormonism during the nineteenth century, especially the conflict over polygamy and theocracy, help define the limits of religious tolerance in this country? How have LDS beliefs, practices, and culture positioned and repositioned Mormons within U.S. society? Learning Outcomes: 1. To situate the development of Mormonism within broader American historical contexts and thereby arrive at a greater understanding of religion’s place in American life. a. To understand the impact of Mormonism upon American history. b. To understand the impact of American history upon Mormonism. 2. To formulate and articulate in class discussions, exams, and through written assignments intelligent and informed arguments concerning the major developments and events that have shaped Mormonism over time. 3. To cultivate the critical mind in response to a variety of historical perspectives. Perspective: This course studies Mormonism in an academic setting. In doing so our purpose is not to debate the truth or falsehood of religious claims, but rather to examine how religious beliefs and experiences functioned in the lives of individuals and communities.
    [Show full text]
  • The Response to Joseph Smith's Innovations in the Second
    Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 5-2011 Recreating Religion: The Response to Joseph Smith’s Innovations in the Second Prophetic Generation of Mormonism Christopher James Blythe Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd Part of the American Studies Commons, Religion Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Blythe, Christopher James, "Recreating Religion: The Response to Joseph Smith’s Innovations in the Second Prophetic Generation of Mormonism" (2011). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 916. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/916 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. RECREATING RELIGION: THE RESPONSE TO JOSEPH SMITH’S INNOVATIONS IN THE SECOND PROPHETIC GENERATION OF MORMONISM by Christopher James Blythe A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in History Approved: _________________________ _________________________ Philip L. Barlow, ThD Daniel J. McInerney, PhD Major Professor Committee Member _________________________ _________________________ Richard Sherlock, PhD Byron R. Burnham, EdD Committee Member Dean of Graduate Studies UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Logan, Utah 2010 ii Copyright © Christopher James Blythe 2010 All rights reserved. iii ABSTRACT Recreating Religion: The Response to Joseph Smith’s Innovations in the Second Prophetic Generation of Mormonism by Christopher James Blythe, Master of Arts Utah State University, 2010 Major Professor: Philip Barlow Department: History On June 27, 1844, Joseph Smith, the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was assassinated.
    [Show full text]
  • Augustine Spencer: Nauvoo Gentile, Joseph Smith Antagonist
    Sadler and Sadler: Augustine Spencer 27 Augustine Spencer: Nauvoo Gentile, Joseph Smith Antagonist Richard W. Sadler and Claudia S. Sadler Daniel Spencer Sr., his wife Chloe, and sons Daniel Jr., Orson, and Hi- ram Spencer and their families were devoted Nauvoo Mormons. However, in the six months preceding Joseph Smith’s death, their eldest son, Augustine Spencer, who also lived in Nauvoo, but who remained aloof from the Church, turned antagonistic toward his family, became an outspoken critic against the Church, and participated in the activities that led to Joseph Smith’s arrest and death at Carthage. How and why Augustine’s antagonism toward Mormonism developed provides a historical case study that sheds light on the complex religious, cultural, and social dynamics of nineteenth-century society and the Spencer family. The Daniel Sr. and Chloe Wilson Spencer Family Daniel Spencer Sr., born August 26, 1764, spent his early years in East Haddam, Connecticut, on the Connecticut River. His ancestors had arrived in Massachusetts during the first decade of the great Puritan migration of the RICH A RD W. SA DLER ([email protected])is a professor of history and former dean of the college of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Weber State University. He received his BS, MS, and PhD degrees from the University of Utah. He specializes in nineteenth century US history. He is a fellow of the Utah State Historical Society, former editor of the Journal of Mormon History, past president of the Mormon History Association, and past chair of the Utah State Board of Education. CL A UDI A SPENCER SA DLER ([email protected]) received her undergraduate education at the University of Utah and Weber State University.
    [Show full text]
  • Sources of Mormon History in Illinois, 1839-48: an Annotated Catalog of the Microfilm Collection at Southern Illinois University
    BIBLIOGRAPHIC CONTRIBUTIONS NO. Sources of Mormon History in Illinois, 1839-48: An Annotated Catalog of the Microfilm Collection at Southern Illinois University Compiled by STANLEY B. KIMBALL 2nd edition, revised and enlarged, 1966 The Library SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY Carbondale—Edwardsville Bibliographic Contributions No. 1 SOURCES OF MORMON HISTORY IN ILLINOIS, 1839-48 An Annotated Catalog of the Microfilm Collection at Southern Illinois University 2nd edition, revised and enlarged, 1966 Compiled by Stanley B. Kimball Central Publications Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Illinois ©2014 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 2nd edition, revised and enlarged, May, 1966 FOREWORD In the course of developing a book and manuscript collection and in providing reference service to students and faculty, a univeristy library frequently prepares special bibliographies, some of which may prove to be of more than local interest. The Bibliographic Contributions series, of which this is the first number, has been created as a means of sharing the results of such biblio­ graphic efforts with our colleagues in other universities. The contribu­ tions to this series will appear at irregular intervals, will vary widely in subject matter and in comprehensiveness, and will not necessarily follow a uniform bibliographic format. Because many of the contributions will be by-products of more extensive research or will be of a tentative nature, the series is presented in this format. Comments, additions, and corrections will be welcomed by the compilers. The author of the initial contribution in the series is Associate Professor of History of Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Illinois. He has been engaged in research on the Nauvoo period of the Mormon Church since he came to the university in 1959 and has published numerous articles on this subject.
    [Show full text]
  • Nauvoo Neighbor the Latter-Day Saint Experience at the Mississippi River, 1843–1845
    NEW BOOK EXCERPT Nauvoo Neighbor The Latter-day Saint Experience at the Mississippi River, 1843–1845 Susan Easton Black he Nauvoo Neighbor is a significant key to understanding the Latter-day TSaint experience at the Mississippi River from 1843 to 1845. Although only three volumes were published, the newspaper contains 127 issues, each spanning four pages in length, with each page divided into six columns. This translates into approximately 4,000 single-spaced pages on 8½" x 11" paper. From the first issue on Wednesday, May 3, 1843, to the last issue on Wednesday, October 29, 1845, its masthead proudly proclaims, “our motto—the saints’ singularity—is unity, liberty, charity.” The new bookThe Best of the Nauvoo Neighborand the accompanying searchable DVD-ROM of all 127 issues surpass on many fronts local news printed in the official Nauvoo LDS paper, the Times and Seasons. The Neighbor played a significant role in the national discussion of Mormonism, the presidential election of 1844, and perceptions of the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. The paper printed an unrelenting defense of Mormonism against a backdrop of exaggerated reports and sensational claims that stemmed from Hancock County to newspapers in the East. Senior editor John Taylor did not hesitate to confront politician, newspaper columnist, or the governor of Illinois on issues of the day that distorted the Mormon faith. His words were written in defense of Joseph Smith and thousands of Mormons, who had gathered on the banks of the Mississippi River and built Zion in Nauvoo. Among those who had come were Latter- day Saint exiles seeking refuge from unchecked persecution in the state of Missouri and English converts pushed westward by black clouds of war, poverty, and promises of a glorious new day in an American Zion.
    [Show full text]
  • Exposing Mormon Apostle Dallin Oaks Regarding the Nauvoo Expositor
    Recovery Board : RfM Recovery from Mormonism (RfM) discussion forum. Exposing Devious Dallin Oaks on the Nauvoo Posted by: steve benson ( ) Expositor's Illegal Destruction Date: November 14, 2015 08:28AM Part 1 INTRODUCTION: Dallin H. Oaks Conjurs Up a "Legal" Defense for Joseph Smith's Demolition of a Free Press Mormon apostle Dallin H. Oaks owns the notorious distinction of perpetrating the outrageous hoax, under the pretense of law, that the the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor was a justifiable act. In defunding the constitutionally corrupt, historically absurd and patently offensive notion that the Expositor could be expunged, Oaks--the not-so-clever attorney for the Salt Lake City Jesus has certainly earned his brown-nosing brownie points for peddling the Kolobian cah cah that Joseph Smith’s order to have the Expositor ash-canned as a “public nuisance” was authorized by the “divinely-inspired,” U.S. Constitution—in accordance with the wishes of America’s now-necro dunked Founding Fathers who wrote it. As LDS Inc.’s supreme manipulator, deceiver and gun-for-hire, Oaks authored an appallingly apologetic defense of Smith's 1844-ordered destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor, entitled "The Suppression of the Nauvoo Expositor, published in the "Utah Law Review," vol. 9 (Winter 1965), pp. 862-903. Smith’s order, by the way, led directly to Smith buying the farm in a hail of bullets. As authors Robert Gottlieb and Peter Wiley observe: "[When Smith's opponents] founded a newspaper to denounce [him] from inside the holy city [of Nauvoo] itself, Smith took the fatal step of ordering the press destroyed.
    [Show full text]
  • Mormonism in Illinois 1839-1847: a Study of the Development of Socio-Religious ConIct
    Durham E-Theses Mormonism in Illinois 1839-1847: a study of the development of socio-religious conict Hampshire, Annette Pauline How to cite: Hampshire, Annette Pauline (1979) Mormonism in Illinois 1839-1847: a study of the development of socio-religious conict, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/8109/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 ABSTRACT This thesis is a sociological account of the development of conflict between a religious group, the Mormons, and the society which acted as their host, mid nineteenth century Illinois. It traces the deterioration of the relationship between the Mormons and their host from one of friendly sympathy to one of open warfare, and seeks to explain this decline with the aid of sociological concepts. It does not attempt to put forward a theory of conflict, nor to give a history of Mormonism in Illinois.
    [Show full text]
  • Joseph Smith, Robert Foster, and Chauncey and Francis Higbee
    Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel Volume 18 Number 1 Article 8 4-2017 Joseph Smith, Robert Foster, and Chauncey and Francis Higbee Andrew H. Hedges Brigham Young University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/re Part of the Mormon Studies Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Hedges, Andrew H. "Joseph Smith, Robert Foster, and Chauncey and Francis Higbee." Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel 18, no. 1 (2017): 88-111. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/re/vol18/ iss1/8 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Joseph Smith, Robert Foster, and Chauncey and Francis Higbee andrew h. hedges Andrew H. Hedges ([email protected]) is an associate professor of Church history and doctrine at BYU. n 7 June 1844, seven dissenters from The Church of Jesus Christ Oof Latter-day Saints—William and Wilson Law, Francis M. and Chauncey L. Higbee, Robert and Charles Foster, and Charles Ivins—pub- lished the first and only issue of theNauvoo Expositor, a four-page, six-column paper whose purpose was to provide “a full, candid and succinct statement of facts, as they exist in the city of Nauvoo, fearless of whose particular case they apply.”1 Concerned that the paper’s accusations and inflammatory rheto- ric would result in violence against Nauvoo, the city council three days later ordered Joseph Smith, in his capacity as mayor of the city, to “destroy the Nauvoo Expositor establishment as a nuisance.” Joseph passed the order on to Nauvoo city marshal John P.
    [Show full text]
  • Polygamy, Prophets, and Prevarication
    POLYGAMY, PROPHETS, AND PREVARICATION: FREQUENTLY AND RARELY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE INITIATION, PRACTICE, AND CESSATION OF PLURAL MARRIAGE IN THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS by Gregory L. Smith, M.D. Introduction ................................................................... 2 Wilford Woodruff’s Pre-Manifesto Polygamy is Non-Christian .......................................... 3 Administration ......................................................... 32 Writing the Manifesto .............................................. 34 Polygamy was Illegal ..................................................... 3 Principles of Church Government and the Civil Disobedience in Context ..................................... 3 Manifesto ................................................................. 35 Doctrine and Covenants 134 and Civil Wilford Woodruff’s Post-Manifesto Disobedience ................................................................ 6 Administration ......................................................... 38 Court Decisions and Civil Disobedience ..................... 7 Lorenzo Snow’s Administration .............................. 39 False Analogy with the “Gay Marriage” Debate .......... 9 Joseph F. Smith’s Administration ............................ 40 Don’t Die On Every Hill ............................................ 10 After the Second Manifesto ..................................... 42 Polygamy and Lying ................................................... 10 Conclusions About Lying ..........................................
    [Show full text]
  • Nauvoo Expositor, Significance Of, 1985 Paper, Legrand Baker
    Nauvoo Expositor, significance of, 1985 paper, LeGrand Baker October 23, 1985 SIGNIFICANCE AND PRETENDED SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NAUVOO EXPOSITOR by LeGrand Baker The first issue of the Nauvoo Expositor appeared on Friday, June 7, 1844, and a second was printed almost immediately thereafter. The following Monday evening, the Expositor pres was destroyed and every copy of the second issue was burned. On June 27, less than three weeks later, Joseph Smith was killed. The proximity of these events made it easy for many of the Prophet's1 contemporaries to assert that the destruction of the Expositor was a major cause of his death.2 Since then, many historians have accepted that assertion, calling the destruction of the Expositor press "the most serious blunder committed by the Mormons,"3 adding that the members of the mob which killed him were angry because of the violence the Mormons had done against freedom of the press.4 Some have also asserted that the unconstitutionality of the attack on the Expositor focussed national attention on Nauvoo and brought the Mormons into general disrepute.5 This paper refutes those assertions, showing that the Expositor was no more the cause of national feeling against the Mormons that it was the cause of Joseph Smith's murder; and that the nationwide anger supposedly generated by the Mormons' violation of the freedom of the press is an insertion of modern attitudes into history, rather than historical reality. By chronicling the changes in reporting in the American press, this study also demonstrates that most American editors accepted anti-Mormon versions of events in Nauvoo and mocked or ignored Mormon 2 attempts to explain or justify what they had done, until the Warsaw Signal began to boast of the successfulness of the anti-Mormon conspiracy to kill the Prophet.
    [Show full text]
  • George D. Smith's Nauvoo Polygamy
    Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 1989–2011 Volume 20 Number 2 Article 5 2008 George D. Smith's Nauvoo Polygamy Gregory L. Smith Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/msr BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Smith, Gregory L. (2008) "George D. Smith's Nauvoo Polygamy," Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 1989–2011: Vol. 20 : No. 2 , Article 5. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/msr/vol20/iss2/5 This Evangelicals and Mormons is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 1989–2011 by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Title George D. Smith’s Nauvoo Polygamy Author(s) Gregory L. Smith Reference FARMS Review 20/2 (2008): 37–123. ISSN 1550-3194 (print), 2156-8049 (online) Abstract Review of Nauvoo Polygamy: “. but we called it celestial marriage” (2008), by George D. Smith. George D. Smith’s Nauvoo Polygamy Gregory L. Smith Review of George D. Smith. Nauvoo Polygamy: “. but we called it celestial marriage.” Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2008. xix + 672 pp., with bibliography, appendixes, and index. $39.95. Lamentably, the field of Mormon history is saturated with those whose productivity far outstrips their ability and prepa- ration. Even more regrettable, those who are least qualified frequently write on the most technical, sensitive, and difficult topics, with scandalous, highly publicized, and completely erroneous conclusions the inevitable result. —Andrew H.
    [Show full text]