Emma smith lds history glorious truths seagull book. Emma smithwitness of the book of mormon one people. The mormon reinvention of emma smith religion news service. Many years after the death of joseph, emma recounts to her daughter her experiences relating to the birth of mormonism, from magnificent revelations to excruciating persecutions. It was commissioned by the joseph smith historical society, and has many of the same actors and actresses who appeared in legacy, which used to show at the joseph smith building. Smith transcribed this portion, and it appears as the first part of the book. For more on emma smith, check out the new acclaimed film jane and emma. 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. Adams wrote in the book of mormon he received, the above is the autograph of the chief of the mormons who gave me this book at nauvoo on the 15th of may 1844. Emma hale smith bidamon july 10, 1804 april 30, 1879 was the first wife of joseph smith and a leader in the early days of the latter day saint movement, both during josephs lifetime and afterward as a member of the reorganized church of jesus christ of latter day saints rlds church.
She also took care of the domestic chores needed for the survival and comfort of those more actively involved in the. I believe he joseph was everything he professed to be. Bidamon to emma smith dated 11 january 1847, department of history, reorganized church of jesus christ of latterday saints, independence, missouri. May 03, 20 emma smith was the wife of the first mormon prophet, joseph smith. Oct 20, 2015 a few of the copies of the 1841 book of mormon, the first to be published in england, were engraved with the names of early church leaders and their wives. In an interview conducted by her son joseph smith iii in 1879, emma smith, wife of the prophet joseph smith, expressed her faith in the restored church of jesus christ, which was established in 1830 after the prophet had translated the book of mormon and published it. Was emma was promised annihilation if she didnt accept plural marriage. Joseph smith did not sign more than a handful of copies of the book of mormon, said brother fox. False it has been a long standing tradition in mormon culture that eliza r. Emma smiths reaction to joseph smiths plural marriages jump to subtopic. Emma smith witnesses of the golden plates and book of mormon.
In the relief society minutes of march 1844 emma said this. This is the 2nd edition biography of emma smith, wife of joseph smith, jr. Over 150 years, shes been seen as everything from a devil to the epitome of the stereotypical selfless at all times, saintly, angelically feminine mormon woman the apparent mostfavored status of mormonism today given some recent mormon culture movies and books. She stayed with him through thick and thin, until his mobmurder in liberty, illinois.
She grew up in harmony, pennsylvania, along the banks of the susquehanna river on a acre farm. In a jealous rage emma smith pushed eliza snow, allegedly a polygamist wife to joseph smith jr. Snow pushed down the stairs by a furious emma, resulting in a miscarriage. Actually, emma smith approved of plural marriage for only a short timemaybe a few weeksbut she otherwise always despised polygamy and her husbands involvement with this practice. And her faithfulness to the prophet joseph smith and to the truthfulness of the book of mormon is inspiring.
See more ideas about church history, joseph smith and relief society. Emma smith on the book of mormon translation process. With few writings from emma to search, speculation about her life and beliefs has led to unsubstantiated notions that have little basis in truth. Harris insisted that he take it to assist in bringing forth the. At the home of john quincy adams, they found an 1841 copy of the book of mormon that originally belonged to someone very special in church history emma smith, wife of the prophet joseph smith. Emma hale smith bidamon was born on july 10, 1804, to isaac and elizabeth hale. Emma smiths copy of the 1841 book of mormon found church.
She attended school, and was well educated for a girl of that day. In an interview conducted by her son joseph smith iii in 1879, emma smith, wife of the prophet joseph smith, expressed her faith in the restored church of jesus christ, which was established in 1830 after the prophet had translated the book of mormon and published it to the world. Discover the remarkable life of an elect lady in emma smith. A few of the copies of the 1841 book of mormon, the first to be published in england, were engraved with the names of early church leaders and their wives.
Emma smith and the translation of the book of mormon. Generally accepted as a pathbreaking book, mormon enigma rehabilitated the image of emma smith as the obstinate and faithshirking figure that had long held sway among the mormons and at the same time debunked the image she enjoyed in reorganized church of jesus christ of latter day saints, now the community of christ, which she joined in 1860. Discover the remarkable life of an elect lady in emma smith my story. Since the mid 1800s a story has circulated throughout the mormon community that while eliza. Aug 25, 2019 adams wrote in the book of mormon he received, the above is the autograph of the chief of the mormons who gave me this book at nauvoo on the 15th of may 1844. Harris became so convinced of the truthfulness of the record after this remarkable dream that she decided to give to the prophet joseph smith twentyeight dollars she had received from her mother before she died. She died on the anniversary of the death of her twins. She also took care of the domestic chores needed for the survival and comfort of those more actively involved in the translation. Earlier, he had translated 116 pages known as the book of lehi.
Could joseph smith have written the book of mormon. Ultimately, one must accept or reject the idea that the text of the book of mormon was revealed to joseph smith through revelation, by the gift and power of god, regardless of the rather unbelievable details of the exact instruments and method used to achieve this. Emma hale smith bidamon emma hale smith bidamon was born on july 10, 1804, to isaac and elizabeth hale. Emma hale smith, prophets wife, elect lady, polygamys foe, 18041879. If he joseph smith was a prophet, which he is, later when speaking to parley p. Emma hale smith, prophets wife, elect lady, polygamys foe is a biography of emma hale smith, wife of joseph smith jr.
She also took care of the domestic chores needed for the survival and comfort of those more actively. Those pages were subsequently lost by martin harris, who had served as scribe for that portion of the book of mormon. In this 1994 book, two female historical researcherslinda king newell and valeen tippets averytackled the life of the first wife to the. When published in 1830, the book of mormon contained a statement about the lost 116 pages, as well as the testimony of three witnesses and the testimony of eight witnesses, who claimed to have seen and handled the golden plates. In his harmony home, the prophet produced about 60% of the text of the book of mormon. Nov 30, 2017 emma smith was far more involved in the coming forth of the book of mormon than some people may realize. Generally accepted as a groundbreaking biography, the book places emma smith into a context that has better explained the trials and sacrifices of the. It was the anniversary of the death of the twins she lost in kirtland. Henry edwards, the history of the reorganized church. Baptized into church of jesus christ of latterday saints by oliver cowdery, 28 june 1830, at colesville, broome co.
As the scribe of twothirds of the first manuscript of the book of mormon, she had a signficant impact on that effort. Sep 19, 2019 mother smith stated that lucy harris then described the record in minute detail. She helped joseph smith retrieve the plates, participated in the translation as a scribe, and recorded her physical encounters with the covered plates. Emma smith was far more involved in the coming forth of the book of mormon than some people may realize. Mormonism has had a bit of a schizophrenic relationship with emma smith. Book of mormontranslationurim and thummim fairmormon. Why was emma smith a witness to the book of mormon. How did emma smith help bring forth the book of mormon. In his book studies of the book of mormon, roberts concluded that joseph smith had sufficient imagination and was capable of producing the book of mormon even though he had little formal education. Why joseph smiths dictation of the book of mormon is simply. Emma smith bidamon a witness of the book of mormon. How does the book of mormon prepare missionaries to sacrifice, serve, and preach. This book does a fine job presenting the life and times of emma hale smith.
It can be seen along the bottom of the book s spine that this copy belonged to emma smith. Many people have focused almost entirely on the decisions she made in the last years of joseph smiths life and after his death, and sometimes those events trouble mormons and please non. Critics began by labeling the book bungling and stupid, joe smith a perfect ignoramus, and they claimed any blunderhead, with the bible at his side, might have written it. He was, however, prone to make silly mistakes, such as. Sources originally cited and assertion originally made that emma wrote the translation for the majority of the lost 116 pages in michael hubbard mackay and gerrit j. Nov 10, 2018 emma smith recounted that during no part of it did joseph smith have any mss. Emma smiths witness of the book of mormon lds scripture. By 1879, emmas children were leading the rlds branch of mormonism, and shoring up josephs prophetic reputation and the miraculous origin of the book of mormon would have been important to. Emma smith and the translation of the book of mormon always. The lost 116 pages were the original manuscript pages of what joseph smith, founder of the latter day saint movement, said was the translation of the book of lehi, the first portion of the golden plates revealed to him by an angel in 1827. Emma smith recounted that during no part of it did joseph smith have any mss. Were the plates present during the translation of the book of mormon.
Emma smith 18041879 may not be as wellknown as her husband, joseph smith, jr. Although emma smith was one of the most important women in the history of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, her thoughts, feelings, and personal experiences remain largely unknown. As church membership mushroomed, and it became clear the book of mormon. Answering a question posed by her son joseph smith iii in 1879, emma smith indicated that the prophet joseph smith could not have been the author of the book of mormon, for he had neither the writing abilities nor adequate knowledge of ancient israel. At the home of john quincy adams, they found an 1841 copy of the book of mormon that originally belonged to someone very special in church. Mar 02, 2018 emma smith bidamon to emma pilgrim, 27 march 1870, in early mormon documents, 1. Harris insisted that he take it to assist in bringing forth the book of mormon. Apr 22, 2016 by 1879, emmas children were leading the rlds branch of mormonism, and shoring up josephs prophetic reputation and the miraculous origin of the book of mormon would have been important to. Headstone of alvin, first child of emma and joseph smith. Sep 24, 2016 emma smith believed in and supported her husband.
It is an extremely wellresearched biography with extensive documenting notes, showing the vast amount of research done by the authors. The way emma smiths story is carefully sculpted reveals as much about gender expectations and religious norms in our own era as it did when brigham young declared her mormona non grata. The way emma smith s story is carefully sculpted reveals as much about gender expectations and religious norms in our own era as it did when brigham young declared her mormona non grata. A twentyfirst century believers view of the book of mormon translation, interpreter. Question how did emma hale smith react to josephs practice of plural marriage. Emma smith was the wife of the first mormon prophet, joseph smith. Throughout the years, she has remained a complex topic for both mormons and nonmormons. Top a deep sorrow in her heart emma hale smith, in heroines of the. Henry edwards, the history of the reorganized church of jesus christ of latter day saints independence. Emma hale smith, lds researchers linda king newell and valeen tippetts avery clearly show this to be a fact. Emma smiths copy of the book of mormon found joseph smith. It can be seen along the bottom of the books spine that this copy belonged to emma smith. She believed her husband, joseph smith, was a prophet because he was too ignorant to have come up with the book of mormon on his own.
She grew up in harmony, pennsylvania, along the banks of the susquehanna river on a acre. Emma smiths copy of the book of mormon discovered lds daily. Emmas testimony of the book of mormon and the restoration. These details help explain why the lord chose emma smith as an elect lady to. These pages, which had not been copied, were lost by smiths scribe, martin harris, during the summer of 1828 and are presumed to have.