Filling in the History

What leads a group of people to organize themselves enough to kill a man? The history of the summer of 1844 gives a few insights to the circumstances in Missouri, Illinois, and within the Church that led Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum to a jail in Carthage, Illinois along with John Taylor and Willard Richards. The jail was attacked, Joseph and Hyrum were killed by a mob while being left to fend for themselves with little protection. We finalize Filling in the History by showing what led to this moment as well as the details of what happened when John Taylor was shut multiple times and Joseph and Hyrum Smith were murdered in the summer of 1844.

Section 137 in the Doctrine and Covenants takes us back to the Kirtland Temple about 8 years previous and describes a vision of the afterlife by Joseph Smith. After this we get to the last year of Joseph Smith’s life. We see a few discourses that change doctrinal understanding for the Church as well as a volley of paperwork trying to protect Joseph Smith, more to try and keep the peace in Nauvoo, and more still for Joseph Smith’s run for President of the United States.

We will go back in time to the Appendix for the Book of Commandments and a statement on governments and what the Church's views and relationship to governments are. The Potawatomi tribe visits Joseph to gain a revelation from the Great Spirit on what to do with their lands and their future. Joseph is locked in a constant battle over extradition, the Avery brothers are kidnapped, and with some guy pulls a college prank to get Joseph to translate bogus characters.

This episode is only Section 132. In this section we see a revelation about how people can be sealed for time and for eternity. This is part of the idea that welding links across generations and in the eternities are possible through Priesthood power. This section teaches that men and women sealed in these relationships have power to become like their Heavenly Father in all ways, including becoming gods themselves, continuing to create life, and the possible creation of worlds. The idea of plural marriage is explored and justified by citing Abraham and others and explaining that plural marriage is a good thing in the eyes of God as long as it is done in the proper ways. This is a major shift for the Church and a difficult subject even for Joseph's closest associations.

At this point, Church history starts to turn into the controversial. Joseph describes how to detect an angel or other ministering spirits, plural marriage is instituted for more people in Joseph inner circle, Joseph is on the run from the law to avoid extradition in Missouri. All the while, Joseph is mayor of Nauvoo and the leader of the Nauvoo Legion. Due to the size of this episode, Section 132 which is about eternal and plural marriages, will be given it's own episode as a supplemental to this one.

The Saints need a new home. Missouri successfully drove them out of their state, Joseph just escaped from Liberty Jail, and immigrants from Europe are showing up in America because of the efforts of the Apostles in England and other places. They buy some swamp land in a place called Commerce, rename it Nauvoo and get to work. Joseph starts teaching about work for the dead and how the Temple will bind families together forever. The Saints finally have some peace and they start healing. This is a new start for this small group and history will show Nauvoo as one of the most important moments in Church development.

Joseph and his fellow prisoners escape from Liberty Jail and the first item of business is petitioning the US Government to honor the Constitution. Joseph Smith petitions Congress and meets with the President and nobody will help. They are moved to a new portion of Illinois which they later name Nauvoo and a temple is announced. Baptisms for the Dead are announced and major developments in Latter-Day doctrine start to form in their new home by the river. All the while, the Apostles are preaching in England, Europe, and Orson Hyde dedicates Jerusalem for the gathering of Israel.

The Church members of this time are going through horrible experiences, abuses, and strait up criminal activity from their enemies and from elected officials. Joseph Smith, Hyrum, and few others are arrested, tossed around jails and eventually land in Liberty Jail. Many letters and correspondence are shared to try to right these wrongs and get legal protections. From these letters we get sections 121-123 of the Doctrine and Covenants which are pivotal teaching to believers to this day. Amazing teachings from a very dark moment in Church History.

Dissent is all over the Church and there are good reasons for it. We have a bank failure, people being driven from their homes, and persecution from all over. Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer are excommunicated along with several of the Apostles. Joseph and other leaders search for a new home, discover a place called Adam-ondi-Ahman, set up the law of Tithing, the official name of the Church, and organize new stakes for the Latter-day Saints.

This episode covers 1836-1838 with many struggles, excommunications, Apostles being disfellowshipped, and friendships breaking down. Debts mount, dissidents abound, and Joseph and others struggle to clear things up, straiten things out, and keep the Church moving in the right direction. It is a very difficult time in the history of the Church. We see revelations to the Twelve, David Patten, and answers to questions from the Bible in the Book of Isaiah.