Henry edwards, the history of the reorganized church of jesus christ of latter day saints independence, mo. Emma smiths copy of the book of mormon found joseph smith. Emmas testimony on translating the book of mormon life. More than once, the book of mormon text indicated that many plain and precious parts of the bible had been lost. And her faithfulness to the prophet joseph smith and to the truthfulness of the book of mormon is inspiring. She saw this as an indication that joseph did not know history or the bible well enough to write the book of mormon. Nov 30, 2017 and it shall come to pass that the lord god shall bring forth unto you the words of a book, and they shall be the words of them which have slumbered. Emma smith s copy of the book of mormon discovered. Emma smith bidamon a witness of the book of mormon. This book flows much, much better than most biographies. She attended school, and was well educated for a girl.
Religious studies center, department of church history and doctrine, brigham young university, 1989. Emma smith did not document her life in a diary or journal. This is the 2nd edition biography of emma smith, wife of joseph smith, jr. Could joseph smith have written the book of mormon. Emma smith s 1841 engraved copy of book of mormon in john quincy adams library lynn and tanya bascom, an lds couple from bountiful, utah, went on vacation this past june, touring what an amazing discovery.
They had in their possession in 1856, after lucys death some of the most important ancient documents ever discovered. Emma smiths 1841 engraved copy of book of mormon in john quincy adams library lynn and tanya bascom, an lds couple from bountiful, utah, went on vacation this past june, touring what an amazing discovery. It was the anniversary of the death of the twins she lost in kirtland. Joseph smith, history of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, 7 volumes, edited by brigham h. May 03, 20 emma smith was the wife of the first mormon prophet, joseph smith. Emma hale smith bidamon emma hale smith bidamon was born on july 10, 1804, to isaac and elizabeth hale. 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. Shortly after joseph smith acquired the golden plates from hill cumorah in western new york state, he and emma moved to harmony, pennsylvania.
Emma hale smith, prophets wife, elect lady, polygamys foe is a biography of emma hale smith, wife of joseph smith jr. Joseph, emma, and hyrum, as well as the members of the quorum of the twelve and their wives, all had their own copies. During the initial stage of translation of the book of mormon in the winter of 18271828, joseph smith s wife emma would often write for him as he translated. Emma smith witness of the book of mormon home emma smith witness of the book of mormon. Smith translated the book of mormon by putting his head into a hat mormon enigma. False it has been a long standing tradition in mormon culture that eliza r.
Smith transcribed this portion, and it appears as the first part of the book. 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. 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. Joseph smith and for the first time she used his name direct, having usually used the words, your father or my husband could neither write nor dictate a coherent and wellworded letter, let alone dictate a book like the book of mormon. She also took care of the domestic chores needed for the survival and comfort of those more actively involved in the translation. Moroni first instructed joseph to enlist his oldest brother, alvin, to help him recover the plates. Today were looking at emma smith s version of history when her husband, joseph smith, jr. Emma bidamon interview with her son, joseph smith iii. I am not mormon, but emma smith was a woman ahead of her time, in that she was welleducated, intelligent, literate, and knew her own mind. 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. It can be seen along the bottom of the book s spine that this copy belonged to emma smith. Emma smith was the wife of the first mormon prophet, joseph smith. Emma hale smith, and perhaps her brother reuben hale, help as scribes for a portion of the book.
This book is a biographical reconstruction of emma smith s life from documents and evidence other than. Emma smithwitness of the book of mormon one people. The classmate affirms that the real proof is the testimony one has after they read it. In his harmony home, the prophet produced about 60% of the text of the book of mormon. From her questioning of emma smith, the classmate proves that the book of mormon is true, through physical and spiritual evidence. Mother smith stated that lucy harris then described the record in minute detail. Emma smith was far more involved in the coming forth of the book of mormon than some people may realize. 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.
The question of the authenticity of the book of mormon is the basis for any discussion on the truthfulness of the lds church. The title of her lecture thursday was the same, but with a question mark added at the end. Many people close to the process were moved by the book s message and eagerly waited for a renewing of old covenants and the restoration of christs church. Nov 30, 2017 emma smith was far more involved in the coming forth of the book of mormon than some people may realize. 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. We went back east for a wedding in nantucket, said lynn bascom. If he joseph smith was a prophet, which he is, later when speaking to parley p. Emma smiths copy of the 1841 book of mormon found deseret news. Emma first met her future husband, joseph smith, in 1825. Mormonism has had a bit of a schizophrenic relationship with emma smith. Harris insisted that he take it to assist in bringing forth the book of mormon. Emma smith s copy of the 1841 book of mormon found deseret news. Generally accepted as a groundbreaking biography, the book places emma smith into a context that has better explained the trials and sacrifices of the members of the early latter day saint church. Emma hale smith bidamon was born on july 10, 1804, to isaac and elizabeth hale.
It is an extremely wellresearched biography with extensive documenting notes, showing the vast amount of research done by the authors. Membership of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, 18301848. From the approximate book of mormon translation timeline. The essentialeven phenomenalrole emma played in bringing forth the book of mormon has been reexamined on many fronts. Just as the arch crumbles if the keystone is removed, so does all the church stand or fall with the truthfulness of the book of mormon. Emma was baptized in colesville, new york, on june 28, 1830. Joseph smith translates some of the characters himself. Joseph smith could neither write nor dictate a coherent and wellworded letter, let alone dictate a book like the book of mormon. Emma smith s reaction to joseph smith s plural marriages joseph smith hiding plural marriages from his first wife, emma emma smith s relationship with the church after josephs death. 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.
These details help explain why the lord chose emma smith as an elect lady to. Mormon is a nickname sometimes given to members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, often inadvertently called the mormon church. Which scribes worked on which portions in the book of mormon. There have been many questions from historians about the bom translation process in the past 185 years, far too many to count. Sep 19, 2019 mother smith stated that lucy harris then described the record in minute detail. However, she had to wait for two months before she was confirmed, as joseph was arrested the next day for his preaching about the book of mormon.
She sacrificed comfort, privacy, hardship, and many demands with what appears to be steadfast character and a strong spirit and sense of self, even. Smith lived near palmyra, new york, but boarded with the hales in harmony while he was employed in a company of men hired to unearth a dream mine. I moved them from place to place on the as it neccessary in doing my work. Emma smiths witness of the book of mormon lds scripture. 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. Joseph and emma smith a love story mormon lds books church. Throughout the years, she has remained a complex topic for both mormons and nonmormons. Mar 24, 20 smith translated the book of mormon by putting his head into a hat mormon enigma. This book does a fine job presenting the life and times of emma hale 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, said brother fox. She grew up in harmony, pennsylvania, along the banks of the susquehanna river on a acre farm.
Why did emma smith and her son, joseph smith iii, sell the book of abraham papyri. Her story is complex and has been the subject of great debate both by mormons and those who are not mormon. Concerning her belief about the divinity of the book of mormon, emma stated the following. She references that it would be impossible for a man such as joseph smith, with no formal training, to complete this feat. She died on the anniversary of the death of her twins. I believe he joseph was everything he professed to be. 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. Many people have focused almost entirely on the decisions she made in the last years of joseph smith s life and after his death, and sometimes those events trouble mormons and please non. In a jealous rage emma smith pushed eliza snow, allegedly a polygamist wife to joseph smith jr.
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. Joseph and emma smith a love story mormon lds books church history volume 1 2 have you ever wanted to know more about the love story between between joseph and emma smith, this book will give you insights into their relationship and help you in your own marital quest. Later in life, on multiple occasions, emma would tell the story of the time joseph was startled by the mention of walls surrounding jerusalem at the time of lehi. 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. This signature and the fact that it was emma s copy means the book would be worth a great deal if it were on the public market, probably in excess of a million dollars or more. Emma hale smith in the unfolding book of mormon text, joseph smith found answers to some of the questions that had brought him to the sacred grove as a 14yearold boy. Emma smith witnesses of the golden plates and book of mormon. Emma hale smith, prophets wife, elect lady, polygamys foe, 18041879.
This is also an example of how revelation expands our knowledge. Baptized into church of jesus christ of latterday saints by oliver cowdery, 28 june 1830, at colesville, broome co. After alvins untimely death, joseph was told his replacement would be revealed by revelation. 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. The mormon reinvention of emma smith religion news service. Emma smiths copy of the book of mormon discovered lds daily. Her testimony was recorded by their son, joseph smith, iii. Jun 20, 2019 emma did not learn about their deaths until 10. Jan 08, 2016 emma remembered, from when she acted as his scribe, a time when joseph was translating the book of mormon and was startled to learn that jerusalem has walls around it. She attended school, and was well educated for a girl of that day. Volume 6 link linda king newell and valeen tippetts avery, mormon enigma.
The photos showed the spine of the book, indicating that it had been emma smith s personal copy. Emma hale was born in harmony township, susquehanna county, pennsylvania, the seventh child of isaac hale and elizabeth lewis hale. 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 on the book of mormon translation process, quote 1. Emma smiths copy of the book of mormon found joseph. How would you defend the book of mormon in a court. Emma, having been a rural school teacher of considerable native talents,8 was also joseph smiths first scribe and may have transcribed more of the book of mormon than anyone else except for oliver cowdery. In the relief society minutes of march 1844 emma said this. For more on emma smith, check out the new acclaimed film jane and emma. This book is a biographical reconstruction of emma smiths life from documents and evidence other than. Emma smiths copy of the 1841 book of mormon found church. Why was emma smith a witness to the book of mormon.
Joseph smith did not sign more than a handful of copies of the book of mormon, said brother fox. Emma smith on the book of mormon translation process. 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. First, black said, emma smith was sealed to joseph smith, and sealing powers are real. Generally accepted as a groundbreaking biography, the book places emma smith into a context that has better explained the trials and sacrifices of the. 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. At the time of the third printing, however, vals bishop received a call from a higherup in salt lake who said that two girls had written a book about emma smith and were not to be. How did emma smith help bring forth the book of mormon. 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. Discover the remarkable life of an elect lady in emma smith my story. Last testimony given by emma in an interview with her sons. They lived in a small home on thirteen acres not far from the home of emmas parents for most of 18281830.
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