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I think Rough Stone Rolling has a good bit about the pickle that Joseph Smith found himself in at this time. There is no doubt that he had genuine concern for the fate of his family and followers depending on his own course of actions. He was also busy negotiating alternatives with Gov. Ford - unsure of the degree to which he could trust that he and his followers would be kept safe. There were certainly no assurances that mobilizing the Legion in any kind of offensive would succeed, nor any guarantee that acting peaceably was any better. I think he felt damned either way, and ultimately decided to take the course of action least likely to result in mass destruction of Nauvoo and its people.

bcspace wrote:

Having the Nauvoo Expositor declared a nuisance (as mayor, and over the objections of non-mormon councilors). (to prevent the NE printing further accounts of illicit sexual activity).

Engaging in illicit sexual relationships (which were exposed by the Nauvoo Expositor).

Was the Expositor correct about these sexual relationships? CFR

bc,

You know the sexual references like the back of your hand. When they are requoted ad nausium you make a feeble attempt to argue with the history.

Why don't you save us all time and reference them yourself.

Black Moclips wrote:Did the Expositor claim something that has been proven untrue?

From the Nauvoo Expositor:

We all verily believe, and many of us know of a surety, that the religion of the Latter Day Saints, as originally taught by Joseph Smith, which is contained in the Old and New Testaments, Book of Covenants, and Book of Mormon, is verily true; and that the pure principles set forth in those books, are the immutable and eternal principles of Heaven, and speaks a language which, when spoken in truth and virtue, sinks deep into the heart of every honest man.

I just went through the Expositor and a couple issues of the Warsaw Signal on Uncle Dale's website around this time frame. It was an interesting and eye opening read. Right or wrong, these people really thought Joseph Smith was the devil himself, and much of it stemmed from his political ambitions of power (or that perception). Defenders of the church would say it was all prudent and necessary for the safety of the fold. Maybe it was maybe it wasn't, I have no idea. But certainly the neighbors of Nauvoo took it a completely different way. Of course its impossible (for me) to make an accurate judgement of who is telling more of the truth than the other, 150+ years removed. Its all benign holiness and righteousness on one side and Satan and his minions on the other. They each describe each other thus.

Did Joseph Smith seal his testimony with his blood? Well, I guess it depends on how you look at it. Typically you think of a martyr like the original apostles, where they were arrested, tortured and killed just because they were Christians. Given the opportunity to renounce Jesus, they chose death and accepted it.

Joseph Smith's case was different, in that he was as much a political leader as a religious leader. He was arrested principally because of the Expositor situation, which was a non religious act, but a political one. It wasn't the church that destroyed the press, but the city government. So its a different sort of situation than the martyrs of old, who were killed for simply preaching the gospel.

Was Joseph Smith killed for simply teaching and believing a new religion and a new scripture? I think the answer is much more complex than "yes". What would have happened had the church grew as just a religion, rather than this all encompassing, stone rolling down the mountain taking over the entire world Zion society with Joseph as king, thinking only of compassion and kindness to neighbors rather than political designs and power? Who knows.

A Brief Review of the Nauvoo Expositor, Vol 1, No 1 (and only) June 7, 1844.

The first page contains some truly awful story writing. Don't read it. Really. The last column contains the testimony of the authors, of the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Book of Covenants. Throughout the newspaper, the authors essentially establish themselves as a 'Reformed Church of JcoLDS' I don't know if this movement is continuous with the 'Reformed CoJCoLDS' established after the exodus, which Emma and her children eventually joined. (Does anyone know about this?)

The second page contains an overblown and tedious but generic description of how immigrant young women were being pressed onto plural 'marriage' with the Prophet and the Twelve. Included is a description of pregnant women being sent away for a 'long visit' and returning sans child. The untimely death of a plural wife, originally from St Louis, is reported. This portion is a gold-mine for quote-miners who can turn the florid analogies and metaphors of the time into direct statements and claim false accusation.

Those who keep reading through the awful prose, will find:

The next important item which presents itself for our consideration, is the attempt at Political power and influence, which we verily believe to be preposterous and absurd. We believe it is inconsistent, and not in accordance with the christian religion. We do not believe that God ever raised up a Prophet to christianize a world by political schemes and intrigue.

This is followed by more terrible writing complaining about theocracies, false doctrine (see below), and the excommunication of various people – without representation – contrary to The Book of Covenants.


Then there were some resolutions made by the Seceders (as they called themselves), or Apostates (as the brethren called them back then, or Anti-Mormons (as the modern church calls them. If you do read it, check out the resolutions.

...inasmuch as they have introduced false and damnable doctrines into the Church, such as a plurality of Gods above the God of this universe, and his liability to fall with all his creations; the plurality of wives, for time and eternity, the doctrine of unconditional sealing up to eternal life, against all crimes except that of sheding [sic] innocent blood, by a perversion of their priestly authority, and thereby forfeiting the holy priesthood... (from Resolution Two, p 2) Resolution 14 adds “the spoiling of the Gentiles” to the list of dodgy doctrines.

That we disapprobate[sic] and discountenance every attempt to unite church and state; and that we further believe the effort now being made by Joseph Smith for political power and influence, is not commendable in the sight of God. (Resolution 3, p 2)

...the hostile spirit and conduct manifested by Joseph Smith, and many of his associates towards Missouri, and others inimical to his purposes, are decidedly at variance with the true spirit of Christianity... (from Resolution 4, p 2)

...we consider the gathering in hasted[sic], and by sacrifice, to be contrary to the will of God; and that it has been taught by Joseph Smith and others for the purpose of enabling them to sell property at most exhorbitant[sic] prices... (from Resolution 9, p 2)

That we consider all secret societies, and combinations under penal oaths and obligations, (professing to be organized for religious purposes,) to be anti-Christian, hypocritical and corrupt. (Resolution 11, p 2)

To finish off page 2, there were several affidavits to the effect that Hyrum Smith had shown/given the testators a written revelation concerning the plurality of wives (the description conforms to D&C 132).

Throughout there are statements in support of the separation of church and state, and freedom of the press. Page Three continues the editorial, describing misuse of the legal system by issuing a writ of Habeas Corpus in the case of persons sought by other jurisdictions. This writ allows a local court to hear the matter, the local court (being in the back-pocket of the mayor/prophet) then discharges the matter, to the frustration of other jurisdictions. Joseph later made use of Habeas Corpus to have his press-destruction charges dismissed by a Nauvoo JP. Sadly for him, Gov. Ford insisted that he be tried in Carthage. This also appears to be a primary reason for retaining Joseph and Hyrum in Carthage jail for the treason offense – preventing him from having the matter heard by his local JP in Nauvoo. This portion is interesting in that it pre-dates destruction of the press, but predicts the legal shenanigans (an Expositor term) that happened subsequently.

The JP is not named in the Expositor, but he is in 'The Martyrs' (a faith=promoting history referenced earlier in the thread). In other forums one will read that the Nauvoo JP, Daniel H. Wells, was not a Mormon – with implication of an impartial trial. He was, however, a jack-Mormon (the word had different meaning then) His (first) wife certainly wasn't a Mormon and she didn't go to Utah with him with the general exodus – she may have been the reason he retained 'jack' status rather than converting while in Nauvoo. He was baptized in 1846 and rapidly became AG of the State of Deseret and an apostle with another six wives.

Then the rest of pages 3 & 4 continue with letters, international news, and notices. This includes an extract of “Gen Smith's Views' from another paper which does not get a good review.

Overall, the newspaper is not Anti-Mormon, rather the authors consider Joseph to be a fallen prophet while retaining a testimony of the Book of Mormon, Book of Covenants, and the church as Joseph 'originally' taught. They wanted to reform the church, but settled for seceding and forming a reformed church.

I must say thanks to Uncle Dale for the tremendous service he has done making early material available. It is a huge effort and greatly appreciated!

Question, for all you history experts.

If Joseph Smith's polygamy wasn't sexual and had no precedence of being sexual, what would be other reasons he'd have for hiding it from fellow Latter-Day Saints?

I mean, to me it seems like if it were just the "lets all just get sealed to each other as one big happy family" kind of seno one would care.

Gadianton, the argument about whether Josephs marriages were sexual, going on and on has puzzled me. I cannot get my mind to the mind set that imagines them asexual. In your simple observation I think you have clarified the matter significantly. After all a ceremony sealing people in the afterlife may have been seen by people as odd but not illegal.

Question, for all you history experts.

If Joseph Smith's polygamy wasn't sexual and had no precedence of being sexual, what would be other reasons he'd have for hiding it from fellow Latter-Day Saints?

I mean, to me it seems like if it were just the "lets all just get sealed to each other as one big happy family" kind of seno one would care.

Although I'm not a history expert, I do remember reading that there were some "familial" type sealings between non-related people. Were those sealings also kept secret? I don't know the answer to that off the top of my head.

Black Moclips wrote:An interesting side note is that Quinn believes the Expositor was really destroyed because it threatened to detail in future releases the political ambitions that Joseph Smith was aspiring to and his negotiations with foreign countries. That was something I hadn't heard before.

This was the "Council of 50." It's function was to be the political arm of the Kingdom of God. As such, Joseph crowned himself "King of the Kingdom of God on Earth." This is where the Expositor's phrase "self-appointed monarch" comes from.

As for the negotiations with foreign countries, Joseph had sent Ambassadors from the Council to England, France, and the Republic of Texas to form alliances against the United States--the very country for which he was running for President.

Dr. Shades wrote:
As for the negotiations with foreign countries, Joseph had sent Ambassadors from the Council to England, France, and the Republic of Texas to form alliances against the United States--the very country for which he was running for President.

Joseph Smith was of a mind to never be molested again by mobacrats. Does Quinn quote about this? He saw a war on the horizon. He would have waged war and made alliances if the saints had not buckled. Because they feared and he gave up and was going to leave and go West. But then,
"If my life is of no value to my friends then it is of no value to me."

He discovered too late that there was no real Zion around him.